Digital VRAINS
by Boyzilla
Summary: A strange virus has destabilized the boundary between two different worlds, Hakuno Zaizen and Aoi Zaizen find themselves brought into another timeline belonging to Hakuno Kishinami and the Digidestined. With the worlds of Digital Extra and Fate VRAINS slowly collapsing, it's up to the heroes of both worlds to join together and restore the boundaries before it is too late!
1. Chapter 1

**Important Author's Note** : Greetings everyone, I come before you with a special short story featuring a crossover between my Digital Human series, specifically Digital/Extra, and Fate/VRAINS, another great story with Hakuno Kishinami. Be forewarned, this short story contains MASSIVE SPOILERS for both Digital/Extra and Fate/VRAINS, and there will be three chapters in total.

It is highly recommended you read both stories before continuing on, as there is much information taken from both continuities.

THIS STORY FEATURES SOME LONG CHAPTERS! So grab a drink, a snack, and enjoy!

Enjoy the collab everyone! Know not all stories are spoken in a single path, as a tree that branches mighty and far can at one point touch the branch of another equally great tree.

* * *

 _Digital/VRAINs_

 _Part 1 of 5_

" _Who says there's no such thing as monsters?"_

"This is the third day in a row in which widespread reports of Network crashes across the globe continue, affecting many systems and forcing operators to make a full restart. Even the popular LINK VRAINS has trouble in many areas. Despite SOL Technologies' reassurances, many people are scared that some anonymous hacker group is testing the waters with newfound technology." A woman spoke on the news broadcast.

Sixteen-year-old Hakuno K. Zaizen wasn't paying attention to the screen, her eyes instead overlooking Den City from an elevated bridge over a street while she waited for her sister, Aoi Zaizen, to get a drink from a dispenser nearby. It had been four days since Hakuno Zaizen had defeated Julius, an old Master from the Moon Cell Holy Grail War that had mysteriously come back to haunt her, dueling both her and Aoi in a duel death match within LINK VRAINS. His appearance had and still did, confuse her, as well as the words he said.

His memories of events within the Moon Cell were different than that which Hakuno herself remembered. Not to mention the appearance of a Sakura look alike.

It was a topic she would think about later, and unable to re-enter LINK VRAINS, both Hakuno and Aoi were instead trying to catch up with sightseeing around Den City. Not that they could enter back into the Virtual Reality anyway, as these recent incursions of network issues shook the cyberspace environment enough whereby it required long maintenance.

Much to Aoi's disgruntlement.

Still, the younger Zaizen couldn't help but feel like something was up.

["You are tense,"] The voice of her Servant, Archer, echoed from the prototype Duel-Disk attached to her arm, which glimmered in the dusk sunlight. ["Try to relax, you'll only hurt yourself remaining like this."]

"I know," She replied. "But…"

Her worries were justified, there was an ominous dense mist that covered a large portion of the city, getting to Den Academy this morning had been a hassle, but that wasn't the real point of her concern.

"Stupid machine!" The familiar voice of her sister screamed in frustration.

Curious, Hakuno Zaizen walked towards to where Aoi was at, her eyebrow arched in confusion as her slightly older sibling proceeded to give up interacting with the digital panel and proceed to instead kick the drink dispenser as to make it work.

"Aoi-nee..." Hakuno trailed off, a slight smile shined on her face at Aoi's antics before she reached out with a hand to get her attention.

But, her eyes spotted something curious.

Aoi stopped kicking all the sudden, having noticed the same oddity, she took a step back from the dispenser. "Haku-nee, I think I broke it!" She said in mild astonishment.

Hakuno Zaizen narrowed her eyes at the interactive panel, it wasn't so much as Aoi broke it than it was going completely on the fritz. A series of data strings, ones, and zeros were flying through the screen in an erratic display of no particular order, but instead a chaotic jumble. She heard the audio of beeps join it soon after, a sound of static, and the dispenser lights flashing in and out like the power was being shut off and turned back on again and again.

She glanced to the side, looked through the fog to spot the street lights which also repeated the same gestures, their bulbs flashing repeatedly with no particular rhythm. Her eyes trailed down to Aoi's Duel Disk, which was going through the same mysterious outbreak the drink dispensers' own data panel was.

Out of concern, the youngest Zaizen sister checked her own Duel Disk, but unlike Aoi's, it remained functioning perfectly…

Despite every other digital and electronic appliance in the surrounding area going haywire.

"What's going on?" Aoi questioned as she too had been glancing around, the obvious insanity that was affecting all human-programmed devices making her wary.

" **Grr…'**

The Zaizen sisters looked towards the direction of the noise, which came from the drink dispenser.

"Did it just growl at us!?" Aoi exclaimed.

Hakuno Zaizen noticed a shadow overcast on the dispenser and looked up, there in the fog which began to clear a bit, the shape of a large creature took form, but before she could examine it further-

["Look out!"] Archer's voice rang out and Hakuno instantly grabbed Aoi by the arm and pulled her back, a large foot covered in crimson red fur smashed down on the dispenser, crushing it instantly with little effort. Aoi and Hakuno fell to the ground, staggered from the physical force, but the latter girl recovered quickly and stood up, reaching to draw a card before realizing…

She's not in LINK VRAINS.

This was all in the real world.

"Get up Aoi-nee, we need to run," She said to her sibling.

"I figured as much!" It appeared that Aoi had tried to use her Duel Disk as well, but like the younger sister, it was a fruitless effort.

Hakuno helped her sibling up, her eyes glanced upward, the mist had cleared away somewhat and revealed many more features of the rogue creature. It was massive, easily many meters taller than any Servant she'd ever seen, including Rani VII's Berserker. It's took the appearance of a ape-like animal, more akin to a mythological wendigo, it stood on two feet with a muscular frame, covered in dark brown fur with the exception of certain areas, like its hand, feet, elbows, and face, which all held a blood red hue.

It's face… It frightened her, an enlarged lips spread in some sort of sickening smile, with teeth shown, yet the emotion was more enraged than joyful. The two eyes were big, with little remorse, it almost seemed in pain somehow. On top of its head was a bone white mask, like that of a skull helmet with three yellow protruding spikes.

Oddly, in sharp contrast, there were bandages wrapped around the left wrist.

" **Destroy…. Destroy!"** It spoke in a lower tone before outright roaring the words.

"Yeah well go somewhere else to do it!" Aoi exclaimed back in reply as she stood up. "Let's book it, Haku-nee!"

The Zaizen sisters tried to make a break towards the other side of the bridge, which hung over a street that was strangely absent of movinges vehicles. Hakuno didn't wish to take her eye off the opponent, or whatever the monster truly was, as it held a likeness similar to yet different from any Duel Monster.

With the exception of her _Moon Cell_ archetype deck.

Unfortunately, it didn't seem kind enough to give them much of a chance, and moved with speed unnatural to any living creature, leaping with great strength and landing harshly in front of their exit, the ground below it cracking apart as the structure shook. The wendigo turned slowly, face sporting that same glee from before, yet eyes betraying a desperation, a contrast in expression that unsettled the sisters' stomachs.

"A-Archer?" Hakuno Zaizen spoke with a plea of help.

"Move!" Aoi grabbed her by the arm, the girl heaved with all her might and managed to pull both Hakuno and herself out of the striking range of an arm that came down, skidding across the ground. The arm's sheer size, combined with the power behind it, created a line of craters from the impact, splittering fragments and scattering them.

Hakuno Zaizen felt a sharp sensation, her arm reached out and fingers touched a warm liquid right below her cheek, waving it over to where she could see…

She was bleeding.

 _This was no simulation_.

Her heartbeat quickened, breath hastened, and she pushed herself upright, grabbing Aoi's hand and helping her up. They needed a better place, somewhere with more cover, this open bridge would spell their _deaths_ if they remained here.

" **Destroy!"**

"Pepper Breath!"

A small fireball shot right past both Hakuno and Aoi Zaizen, blasting apart when it hit the wendigo monster, creating a sudden implosion of smoke and soot.

"Hakuno?" A male voice spoke and the girls looked up to see a tanned skin boy, around their age, wearing a white buttoned shirt with long sleeves under an open green blazer jacket, along with a pair of gray pants and white sneakers. His brown hair spiked up in numerous angles, not too dissimilar yet still more tame than other hairstyles that Hakuno had seen before. He seemed to do a double check when examining her in particular, looking briefly before his eyes widened in some sort of realization.

"Sorry, I mistook you for someone I know," He said as if he'd thought of something that changed his mind of the earlier word. "You both should get out of here while you can, it's dangerous."

"Ready when you are, Tai," It was then both girls looked to the side to spot a smaller Duel Monster-like being beside the boy.

It had spoken in a sentence.

Not surprising to her anymore.

Hakuno Zaizen focused her sight on the creature, it stood half the height of the stranger now identified as Tai and looked like an orange theropod dinosaur. Against the much larger, wendigo monster, there didn't seem like much of a chance it could last any longer. Still, Tai and the creature had helped both her and Aoi.

" **Willis…"** The larger monster trailed off with a deep voice.

"Don't know who you're after," Tai spoke. "But I can't let you rampage around! Agumon, let's send this guy back to the Digital World!" He pulled out some sort of gray device, small and rectangular in shape, but Hakuno couldn't further examine it with all the mist around.

A green light emitted from the device which functioned normally in spite of all other nearby electronics freaking out.

She took notice that when it glowed, the nearby street lights completely shut off.

" **Koko Crusher!"** Suddenly, a shockwave fired out of the wendigo, blasting apart the groundwork of the bridge, bending metal, and shaking its foundations. Aoi, her sister, placed her body in front of Hakuno as to protect her.

An explosion racked the area.

Hakuno Zaizen coughed as to rid of the dust trying to enter her lungs, with both mist and smoke, it was incredibly difficult to see anything occurring around her. Aoi kept a tight grip around her in an embrace, and Hakuno sighed in relief that her sister remained unharmed. Her eyes trailed upward, the smoke clearing away to revealed the gigantic form of large dinosaur with _very_ sharp teeth and a brown bone helm on top its head… Yet, it remained between them and the wendigo, its body's position clearly indicating it had protected them from the blunt of the shockwave.

"Close one, Greymon," Tai spoke as he rushed towards them. "Haku- You both alright?" He had stopped himself from speaking her name.

How did he know her? Did the original Hakuno Zaizen know this boy?

"I'm alright, do you know Haku-nee?" Aoi questioned.

"No," He shook his head in reply. "Just someone that looks very much like her… You know, like how every person has a twin that looks like them out there," It was an excuse, or at least, Hakuno presumed it was.

"Ah, right," Aoi seemed just as doubtful.

"Still, you should get out of here while you can," He said as he stood up, walking to beside the dinosaur's, now named Greymon, side. "Go get him," Tai spoke up to Greymon.

"Grraaagh!" Greymon roared and charged forward, the wendigo remained motionless for a moment before its arms raised to catch Greymon's tackling form. It was a collision of giants, as Greymon's opponent didn't expect the strength behind the dinosaur's muscles and found itself pushed back to the side of the bridge which crumbled and cracked further.

Hakuno's sight went down towards the bridge, noticing a climbing number of splintering cracks that spread further… And further…

"We need to get off this bridge!" Hakuno shouted, "It's going to collapse!"

Aoi stood up immediately but winced as she stumbled off her right leg, it had been twisted from the earlier evasion of the wendigo's attack. Tai rushed up to her, grabbed Aoi over the arm, and looked towards Hakuno.

"Run!" He shouted as he used his strength to help Aoi move quickly, his body didn't seem to unused to the prospect, he had ample experience in physical conditioning.

"Nova Blast!" A large fireball erupted from Greymon mouth, but the wendigo slammed it's fist in an uppercut, directing the sphere of flame away and hitting a nearby building's rooftop, which completely blasted it apart into particles.

 _Particles._

Then, the bridge collapsed, just as the three of them left it, causing both Greymon and the wendigo to fall down, rubble falling inward and piling on top the two monsters. Tai took a sharp turn and began to rush down the nearest stairway towards the rubble, concern plastered on his face for what Hakuno Zaizen presumed was for Greymon, considering his earlier, friendly conversation with the dinosaur.

In fact, the interaction was more akin to something else, not a comradeship of allies, but something more similar to between her and Archer, a partnership.

Something stirred in the rubble, Hakuno wished it was Greymon, but instead the wendigo stood out of it, without much of a scratch on it. Tai halted his movements, his attention focused on the rubble still, likely hoping for his partner to recover from the damage dealt by the falling bridge and whatever attacks the wendigo had dealt earlier, including the shockwave which had struck him when Greymon defended them.

"Stand up, Greymon! We've been through worse than this bud!" Tai shouted words of encouragement.

" **Go back…"** The wendigo spoke in a deep tone towards the boy.

"Go back? Go back where?" He questioned as he took not a step back, but a step forward, his gaze fearless in face of the monster that could effortlessly squash him.

" **Go back!"** It suddenly charged at him with an outstretched hand, seeking to grasp him.

"Hey," Tai said. "Check your footing."

In response, the rubble shook and Greymon erupted outward with a roar, his arm smashing into the chest of the wendigo and staggering it back, too stunned to move due to the dinosaur's attack, Greymon reeled his head back, white embers sparked from the gaps in his jaws, before he unleashed it.

"Nova Flame!" A stream of pure, white flame rushed out, it seemed like it would envelop and destroy the wendigo once and more all.

But…

Something happened…

 _Hakuno Zaizen felt cold._

All around, Hakuno and Aoi Zaizen took notice of a peculiar phenomenon, tangible, visible air currents… Or something akin to them, flowed around in the mist, pushing it all around and circling the battlefield with the wendigo, Greymon, Tai… And them as well.

"Haku-nee, you're fading away!" Aoi cried out.

Hakuno Zaizen turned to her but noticed Aoi was also fading away as if being erased from existence. She knew that Aoi's concern was for her, but her heart gripped with fear for the sibling she had grown attached to. There wasn't much she could do, or at least, think of anything that could be done. She turned her attention briefly to Tai, Greymon, and the wendigo, they were also fading away.

Her thoughts and emotions froze in an instant.

And they were all gone.

The mist cleared away, revealing the decimated state of a destroyed bridge, cracked road, and the complete absence of three humans and two monsters… The electronic and digital appliances all resumed their normal configurations and settings like nothing had ever happened…

* * *

Thirteen-year-old Hakuno Kishinami pressed a hand against the sliding doorway out of the Private Room. The Digital Human was dressed in her typical attire, the brown long-sleeved overlay school uniform of Tsukumihara Academy, a blue ribbon tied just below her neckline with a string tied into a locket that contained the golden-hued Crest of Miracles, forming a rudimentary necklace. Hakuno tapped her dark tan shoes against the flooring, blank pantyhose covering her legs.

She wanted to figure out what happened to her Servant, Archer, but dreaded learning if he was truly dead at the same time. It has only been two days since the red-garbed Heroic Spirit vanished, the Command Seals tied to him, two of the remaining seven, going inactive; each reminder of his empty presence only served to strike her heart like hot iron to an anvil.

She breathed.

The Digital World was a massive place, while the magus girl hadn't figured out whether or not its size was equal to the Real World, it seemed more likely with every exploration. She didn't know where to begin, and the Digidestined had been oddly quiet to her the past two days, so she was out of the loop of any events occurring around them.

A gentle hand placed on her shoulder, Hakuno glanced to the side to spot one of her other Servants, Caster, Tamamo-no-mae.

The shrine priestess gave her a foxy grin that in return lightened Hakuno's mood with its silly smile.

"Caster," Hakuno spoke.

"I see you want to go explore outside, my dear husband! But aren't you injured?" Caster exclaimed, her fox ears twitched but her vulpine tail waved lazily behind the Heroic Spirit, it's bright orange furs matched well with her cherry blossom colored hair and royal blue shrine clothing.

"I'm fine," She replied.

But Hakuno was physically injured, the gashing wound bandaged around her abdomen had only so much time to heal since last time she ventured outside the safety of the Private Room, which was a large temple built in the middle of a bamboo forest, yet having a traditional Japanese home interior design.

Luckily, since her body was that of a Digital Human, she didn't have the same recovery time as an average human, which meant she healed much faster… Well, it was also thanks to the Digidestined and Caster than she was healing so well.

Still, Daemon had been terrifying… Hopefully, Archer's attack had defeated him…

Again, back to Archer, every time she let loose a thought concerning him, it felt like her chest sunk to the bottom of the ocean.

"Umu! Caster, Praetor needs some time outside this place," Another female voice chimed in.

Hakuno looked towards the second Servant, "Saber?"

Saber, Nero Claudius, dressed in her beautifully streamed red dress laced with golden lines, her blond hair matching perfectly with the shoulder pads on each side, nodded in acknowledgement.

"One cannot find themselves if stuck in this lone abold, it is time you ventured off to reacquire the artistic drive I know you have!" Saber exclaimed, waving her hand into the air like an actor, "After all, we cannot have our legendary plays without you at your best! Next time, the masses shall sing our praises, in fact, I can think of a song to sing!"

"No, that's fine, you don't need to sing…" Hakuno quickly said. "Nothing in the Digital World is worthy of your singing voice yet."

It was more in the case nothing would survive Saber's singing voice.

"I agree!" Caster added on. "She's completely correct! Nothing is worthy of it!" Tamamo had caught on quickly to what Hakuno was meaning to imply.

"Umu! Very well! Then we shall have to wait on that!" Saber said happily.

Hakuno relaxed, "Saber, you won't mind if I take Caster to explore, do you?"

"I do mind!" Saber retorted with obvious displeasure. "Your attention should be focused entirely on me, but since you insisted on us getting along... I shall restrain myself and allow the fox her brief and short time with you, Praetor."

"B-brief and short!?" Caster took it as an insult.

"We'll be back soon, Saber, make sure the base is protected," Hakuno said to the Heroic Spirit of the Sword.

"None shall dare raid the base of the Emperor!" Saber shouted with pride.

The door slid up with a small thud, revealing the outside environment that was the tall-standing bamboo forest, an artificial creation by the Digital World of its real counterpart. At least, that's what Hakuno Kishinami assumed it was. It was hard, at times, to describe the Digital World's peculiarities when all she had to fall back on as an example would be the Moon Cell's own artificial environments created through its many Reality Marbles by SERAPH.

She took out her Portable Terminal, examining the device she's had since the Moon Cell Holy Grail War, going through its applications she checked the current equipped Formal Wear: Phoenix Scarf and Protection Charm.

The Phoenix Scarf gave her the digital magecraft, Code Cast, ability to heal her Servant's injuries proved itself time and time again, and without the Items of the Holy Grail War, it served as Hakuno's only means to restore them in the midst of combat. The Protection Charm, on the other hand, while the Code Cast to enhance Caster's defenses would be nice, in hindsight, it wouldn't matter much considering the fox Servant's physical endurance.

Hakuno switched it the Protection Charm for Silver Earrings, a different Formal Wear that would instead give her the Code Cast to increase Caster's magical potency further.

Now, where will she start exploring?

"The Digidestined did mention that there are towns and cities in the Digital World," Caster began. "We should go check them out!"

That was a good idea, and Hakuno was mildly fascinated with how civilization was in the Digital World, the problem lies in which direction to start off with. However, she was hesitant about the idea of interacting with wild digimon, despite the Digidestined speaking otherwise, there had yet been an occasion of a digimon outside their partners that hadn't attacked her.

However, Caster should be able to deal with most wild digimon. Koushiro mentioned that Ultimate-level digital monsters were a rarity compared to those below that stage.

Hakuno glanced back at the Portable Terminal, deciding to just pick a region and try her luck. The surrounding regions were all 'Red', indicating areas she unwittingly controlled.

"We'll head here," Hakuno picked one and put away the Portable Terminal.

* * *

The first thing Aoi Zaizen did upon awakening is groan from a splintering headache she had, her yellow eyes taking in the sight of a strange, wooden roof above her. Aoi quickly stood upright after realizing that this wasn't her room, her home, or even the hospital. She glanced around, examining the surroundings, the architecture was completely out of place for Den City, much too old, even ancient, or just very traditionalist.

It was constructed entirely out of wood, the interior design reminiscent of Edo Period Japan shown in history books back at the Academy, the futon that she sat in, however, was far more modern in design. There were a set of windows and Aoi stood up to examine the outside through it, brushing away a strand of her brown hair as she looked outside, she blinked three times in succession.

At first, Aoi believed she was dreaming and pinched herself, but apparently, that wasn't the case, or it's a very lucid dream, hopefully, the latter.

"You're awake!"

A childish tone snapped Aoi around to its origin, her eyes darting towards the source only to arch an eyebrow at the white rabbit-like appearance of a small creature, no taller than her knee, painted with bright yellow symbols of crescent moons across its main body but its two… Four… Ears had blue markings.

"Yes, I am?" Aoi didn't know what to say, she wasn't in her LINK VRAINS Avatar… At least, not entirely?

Her clothing was nearly identical to her Avatar's, the elaborate design of the blue and white shirt and frilly dress, a choker around her neck, finally royal blue long socks going into boots… But that's where the similarities took an absent turn, the angelic wings were absent, and the feather adornments of the outfit were missing. Not to mention, while the clothing bore resemblance to her Avatar, the body, and facial adjustments were completely the same as her actual self.

She was Aoi Zaizen in the clothing of Blue Angel, but without the angelic features.

It didn't take her long to realize this little talking animal had the same color scheme as Blue Angel.

"Glad to know you are okay, Aoi! I thought I'll have to splash water on you later! Ice cold at that!" The rabbit-like creature spoke.

Aoi opened her mouth, then closed it, blinked, and took a few seconds to recollect her thoughts. "You know my name?" It had spoken to her with her real name, not the identity of her LINK VRAINS Avatar, Blue Angel, so that means it wasn't restricted the privacy protection laws of SOL Technologies.

"Of course I do. I've been with you since you obtained your latest Duel Disk! I'm your AI! Though I guess it's Lunamon now?" Lunamon spoke with a confused expression when calling itself that.

"You're my AI?" She pointed at Lunamon. "That means we're on the network!"

"I think so? But I've never been outside your Duel Disk, or ever have the form of a digimon!" Lunamon said then blinked at its own words. "Digimon…? I have additional knowledge in my databanks… Or is that head?"

Aoi at least knew now that Lunamon was tied to her Duel Disk, so the digimon, whatever that is, was the altered shape of something she brought with her everywhere, in and out of LINK VRAINS. Speaking of which, she glanced down and examined the electronic device tied around her wrist, and found it functioning… Somewhat…

The Duel Disk seemed to display symbols that it had never done before, but it did still retain its primary functions. Also, since the AI was…

A dawning moment reared its ugly head in her thoughts.

"Lunamon, where's Haku-nee?" Aoi asked.

"Don't know," Lunamon replied casually. "When we arrived here I helped bring you to the town, this building was empty since nobody lived here."

"Town... I'll ask around then!" She exclaimed with a determined expression.

"Sure, but I didn't see any other humans," The digimon replied.

"Wait, everyone around here are AI too? Or is it just a ghost town?"

Lunamon raised an appendage at the window, "Look for yourself, Aoi."

Aoi Zaizen turned around back towards the window, her eyes adjusting to the sunlight gleaming through before understanding what Lunamon meant to imply. There were others, but not humans, but a mismatch of what appeared to be Duel Monsters interacting in ways unlike them. They weren't any type of Duel Monster she had seen before, and there were multiples of the same type, as in dozens of them.

Also, like the interior design of the building Aoi was currently in, the rest of the town outside were also fashioned after ancient Japan's design, like something about of a movie.

A very cheesy movie.

This only made her a bit agitated.

She tried tapping at the Duel Disk, but it didn't respond to logging her out, fortunately, it did say that Emiya, her sister's Avatar name, was online. So that was a little bit of comfort if only her brother could solve this mess, but for now, she'd best play the overprotective older sister!

Even if Hakuno was only older by a few days.

That means actually finding Hakuno in the first place.

Lunamon spoke up, "Where you go, I will follow, Aoi! So point the way and let's have some fun!"

Aoi took note that her AI companion was much more lively than it ever was before.

"Alright then!" Aoi exclaimed to encourage herself, "Then let's go find Haku-nee!" She finished, walked towards the doorway and opened it wide.

* * *

Hakuno Kishinami stared blankly at the town before her, a reminiscent piece of civilization within the Digital World taking heavily inspiration or reference to ancient Japan. In the center, she could spot the foreboding image of a half-destroyed Control Spire, likely snapped in two by the nearby digimon residents after the Digimon Emperor's defeat and consequential release of all the enslaved digital monsters which led to its destruction. Still, it was actually quite a refreshing sight, as it reminded her of Caster's dream cycle, though not entirely.

"Now this is nostalgic!" The Servant in question, Caster, spoke up in her ever-so-bubbly personality. "If they have this type of appeal, then I'm sure they'll get along with Tamamo just as nicely! Have no fear, my lovely, adorable husband. They probably worship me here!"

The magus girl doubted that last part, but they didn't seem hostile so it should be safe to enter the town without any trouble. If, and if, someone did attack, Caster would be able to defeat them.

Caster grabbed Hakuno by the hand, escorting the young teenager down the hilltop and to the base of the town entrance, which was wide open. There weren't any walls, one could enter the town at any angle, the shopping district should be placed in its dead center, just under the vast Japanese castle created from wood and stone.

Hakuno felt anxious, there were so many digimon, most appeared to be that of the Rookie-level, but on occasion, there were some that she couldn't identify… Not without consorting to the Digimon Analyzer application on her Portable Terminal. The Digital Human stuck close to Caster's side, a sense of comfort and safeness washed over her as she walked by the Servant, it was a feeling that coursed through Hakuno every time she remained next to one of her Heroic Spirits.

"See, Master?" Caster waved a hand over the crowd. "Nothing to be concerned of! They know how amazing we are!" She finished. There were a number of glances towards both of them by the locals, most of them were directed towards the shrine priestess herself, but a few eyed Hakuno Kishinami herself.

Tamamo pulled out a folded piece of paper as they approached the center, the marketplace was decently sized, but it didn't match the large area of the district she explored back in the Real World with the Digidestined. It was, however, quaint and held a relaxed atmosphere compared to the booming business she experienced back there. Hakuno glanced towards her Servant, the piece of paper was something she recognized Archer gave Caster right before they journeyed to the Digimon Emperor's old base.

 _Her heart sunk with sorrow._

She closed her eyes and took a long deep breath, recollecting herself and reigning in the intense emotions.

A hand gently rubbed against Hakuno's back, it was Caster, likely having noticed her sudden shift in emotion. The foxy Servant kept a bright, cheery smile on her face, but didn't say a single word… It helped immensely.

"Ready to do some shopping? Let's check to see if all that Moon Cell generated currency actually has a use for once! If it does! Then we can look for some new clothes for you!" Caster exclaimed with an excited tone, nearly jumping in place as her ears twitched with joy.

Oh goodness, if Caster brings her clothing shopping, it'll be like Saber all over again.

Except, this time, no Digidestined to stop her.

They will be here for hours.

"Let's only look at the list first," Hakuno said, trying to keep a goal in mind so to distract Caster from bringing her Master to her inevitable demise at vulpine hands by constant dress up.

"I was going to do that anyway!" Caster replied as she opened the list.

It was a grocery list.

That wasn't surprising at the least.

A sudden feminine voice cried out, "Haku-nee! You're safe!"

Since it started out with her name, Hakuno Kishinami glanced towards the direction of the voice out of a response reflex. There was a girl there, rushing towards her at a brisk pace while avoiding any collisions with the digimon that moved around.

 _She looked very, very familiar for some reason._

Hakuno Kishinami focused her sight on the human girl, who was clearly not any of the Digidestined, though her age-matched with the older crew, for starters, her clothing was unlike any design she'd seen before… Outside of perhaps a combination of the Master Alice and the Cu' Chulainn, Rin's Servant… Well, actually, that wasn't the best way to describe it. Hakuno didn't have any idea on how to best explain it.

She shook her head, there was also a white rabbit-like digimon following the girl close behind, which might indicate she was connected loosely to the Digidestined… But there wasn't any Digivice Hakuno could recognize on the girl's person, however, while the older girl's clothing was unique, the fascination Hakuno could with her lies in her actual appearance.

The girl was fair-skinned, her hair was a light brown hue made into a bob-cut, and her irises were yellow, her facial structure reminded Hakuno of nobody else… But herself.

What…?

But before Hakuno could think further, the stranger was already upon her, enveloping her in a tight hug.

"O-Ow!" Hakuno reacted in an instant as her injury bit with a mild pain.

Caster stepped in immediately and pushed the girl off, placing herself between Hakuno and the newcomer. "H-hey! Back off! Hugs are strictly for me, and I guess a certain barbarian, only! Also, my lovable, adorable, ever-so-fantastical husband is injured! So no touching!"

"What you mean!?" The girl struck back with a passion Hakuno didn't expect, but it wasn't one like Caster or Saber, but something else she couldn't really pinpoint. "I can hug my sister- Wait, she's hurt? Haku-nee, you're hurt!?" She switched the subject really quickly too.

Wait… Sister?

She didn't have a sister.

Did she?

Well, she didn't really look into the original Hakuno Kishinami's history, but her counterpart had been cryogenically frozen for twenty years due to that genetic disease, so even if she had a sister… Well, that sister would be much older, not to mention, possibly dead from the war.

It would explain why this girl had a facial structure reminiscent of her own, there was also the fact that perhaps this world's version of Hakuno Kishinami had a sibling, which also implied that this world had a Hakuno as well.

But… That didn't make sense… Koushiro had looked into her and found absolutely nothing… So Hakuno Kishinami couldn't exist.

"Um… Haku-nee…?" The girl looked at her in confusion. "Earth to Haku-nee!"

"Oh sheesh, she's in her deep thought train," Caster's voice came through.

"Huh?" Hakuno said absently, then shook her head. "I'm sorry, but I think you have the wrong person," It was the most likely answer. "I'm Hakuno, Hakuno Kishinami."

"No, I have the right person, but you're using our old family name," The girl replied. "It's me, your older sister by a few days, Aoi!" She boasted it proudly, but her expression changed radically in an instant to that of concern. "You… You don't have amnesia again do you?"

It was then that Aoi took a step back to examine her.

Caster's ears twitched in agitation, she looked at her Master, "Dear? Who is this presumptuous character that dares try to use the sibling route to enter your heart!?"

Hakuno sighed, leave it to Caster to say something ridiculous.

Aoi then pointed at the magus girl's entire frame accusingly, "You're younger! I almost didn't notice at first! You're like… Way younger! What happened? Did that wendigo do some sort of Avatar alteration that changed your age?"

Wendigo…?

She didn't know what Aoi was talking about, but she did recognize the term of Avatar, it implied cyberspace, not the Digital World, but a much different area.

 _A Lunar Chimeric Sea flashed in her mind._

"Aoi…? Aoi what?" Hakuno pried for more answers, her eyes narrowing in suspicion.

"Aoi Zaizen," The girl replied, she opened her mouth to say more, but the words were caught in her thought as her eyes widened when looking at Hakuno Kishinami.

She was stuck, Aoi Zaizen had been frozen on that spot in a single instant, the girl in front of her, Hakuno Kishinami, had an expression, unlike anything she'd seen before. It was _intense_ , unregulated, _potent_ , a sheer look that seemed to bash against the forefront of her thoughts with its raw display. In the back of Aoi's mind, it reminded her of the time Hakuno awoke in the hospital, but even if it had similarities, there was a difference.

In those eyes, lit an array of stars, bright and burning, an unwavering determination in the face of…

It ended.

"You're… You're not my sister are you?" Aoi spoke out.

"I'm Hakuno Kishinami," The magus girl replied.

"You look exactly like my sister, down to the exact same appearance, even the name, aside from the clothing," She pointed downward at the odd brown school uniform adorning Hakuno Kishinami's body. "But… You're different…" Aoi said, unable to explain further.

"What's your sister's name?" Hakuno asked.

"Hakuno Zaizen," It was an odd question.

"Alright, that's enough!" Caster broke the atmosphere in an instant. "Too much intensity going on! As much as I enjoyed seeing your eyes, my dear husband, you're scaring this girl half to death! I doubt she's from there!"

Hakuno's eyes softened, "I'm sorry… I…" She shifted. "I'm just cautious."

She didn't mean to be hostile, just with the loss of Archer, her injury, combined with the recent imagery of the Moon Cell Holy Grail War had put her on edge.

Aoi released a breath in relief, "Well… Now you're much more like Haku-nee now."

Caster clapped her hands together, "How about we ease up? My dear needs to relax more, so let's go to this nice noodle restaurant we passed by on the way here!"

Hakuno Kishinami nodded, "That sounds nice," She said with a smile.

"But… Um…" Aoi seemed confused again. "Alright I'll follow along, I don't really know what's going on, Haku-nee-" She stopped herself. "I mean, Hakuno…"

"I'll come to," The white-rabbit replied. "I'm Lunamon, Aoi's partner."

"Pleased to meet you," Hakuno replied.

"Great!" Caster exclaimed joyfully. "This way, Master, and husband lookalike!"

"Husband look alike…?" Aoi trailed off.

"Master?" Lunamon echoed similar thoughts, though it was directed as Caster use of the term towards Kishinami.

"Follow Caster or else she'll force us otherwise," Hakuno responded as she walked after the Servant. It wasn't a threat, Caster would indeed persuade them, but not with curses, but a far deadlier weapon.

Fluffiness.

Those fox traits were dangerous tools of mass destruction.

Fortunately, Aoi and Lunamon took Hakuno's warning with stride, she guessed… The older girl and digimon walked just behind Hakuno and Caster, the former could feel Aoi's eyes on her as they approached the restaurant which aroma in the air from it left it incredibly tempting. As they entered the building, the interior design had shifted to a more Chinese setting, with elaborate gold and red colors painted along its walls.

Saber would probably like it here, but the Servant was still back in the Private Room.

Hakuno walled up to this eggshell digital monsters, "Excuse me," She said.

"What you want? You customers?" It replied with a tone that implied a little rudeness, but Hakuno ignored it.

"Do you accept this currency?" Hakuno pulled out her Portable Terminal and viewed the PPT finances she had on hand, then displayed it to the digimon.

"Mhm…" He looked at it through the eyes in the black void of the lone hole within his shell. "Let me ring it up on my register… Alright, tap your device on it." He pushed forward a flat white block that had a wire attached to the register.

Hakuno tapped the Portable Terminal against it, there was a small beep.

"Yeah, it accepts it." The digimon replied. "Now you customers or not?"

"Yes," Hakuno said. "Four."

The eggshell nodded the best it could, jumped off its high podium, then directed them to an open table.

Once the four were nicely situated in a relaxed, Chinese noodle restaurant, Aoi Zaizen spoke up.

"I'm sorry," She apologized. "You just look… So much like her, I'm having a difficult time adjusting to this."

"It's alright," Hakuno replied. "I'm sorry as well for earlier, I didn't mean to seem angry."

Lunamon raised a point, "It was less anger and more like a powerful invisible force."

Caster giggled, "That's her alright."

Aoi cleared her throat, "I guess I should start?"

"At how you entered the Digital World," Hakuno said.

"Digital World… So that's the name of this cyberspace, right?" Aoi questioned.

Hakuno nodded.

"Well, I was with Haku-nee and touring around Den City…"

* * *

It was a forest of black obelisks, Control Spires dotting a landscape, covering the sunlight with their onyx and gray hues. A foreboding presence, ominous and discomforting, not a single tower moved, staying still in a silent watch over a desert landscape. But, these constructs were no longer alone in this arid wasteland…

Then a clash of steel, bright sparks shot out, falling to the ground as a blade deflected a powerful slash of claws. It was indeed a hand, massive in size, able to gash a human with little effort once it struck.

A Bowman found his feet skidding across the ground, dust, and dirt was thrown into the air as he adjusted his footing from the push against him. His breathing was calm and readied, but a drop of sweat fell down his temple, eyes furrowed in concentration and hands gripping two short swords, one white, one black.

"You do not know how much I suffered from that last blow, Archer," His opponent floated down from a Control Spire, a simple kick to it causing the massive structure to tumble as the cloaked figure landed on the ground. "Still, to see that your human companion has recovered so quickly in such a short span of time… I underestimated her."

There, dropping from the bowman's backside and landing on her feet, Hakuno Zaizen took a few steps back, her breathing was ragged and her heart felt like it would beat out of her chest. Her brown hair, with strands of it, coated white, wavered in the breeze. The outfit she wore bore a complete resemblance to her Emiya Avatar back in LINK VRAINS, but the girl was already painfully aware that this wasn't the same cyberspace.

At an earlier time, Hakuno Zaizen had been ecstatic to know that Archer managed to somehow leave the confinement of her Duel Disk. While the region they were in left many questions that needed answering, as well as the concern for Aoi's safety after the encounter with that wendigo in Den City, Hakuno Zaizen was confident that unless they faced another Servant, there wouldn't be much danger.

Not twenty minutes later, they come across this incredibly powerful individual called Daemon.

Daemon had a huge vendetta against Archer for some reason neither of them could identify, the demonic humanoid being had spoken in a short monologue that seemed to indicate that Archer, and her as well apparently, at some point teamed up with the 'Digidestined' group to beat him and critically injure him.

It was that injury that kept Daemon from using his full power, and perhaps, the only reason both she and Archer were still alive. If Daemon had been at full power, the surprise attack earlier would have harmed the Servant to the point that without a Code Cast, there wouldn't have been anything to restore the Heroic Spirit enough to battle efficiency.

This wasn't a Duel, this was a _battle_ , an aspect of combat that Hakuno Zaizen hoped to never come across again… Though, considering Julius a few days prior, she should have expected it.

They couldn't face Daemon right now, he had a number of advantages over both of them. Not only did the monster have critical information concerning Archer's skill set and combat style, but Daemon also knew the terrain, had abilities Hakuno couldn't recognize and fought with a ferocity very much like an enemy Servant.

A terrible situation no matter how much one looked at it.

Retreat was the best option.

"Archer," The Zaizen girl began, her eyes scouring the battlefield for a possible way. "Can you knock down enough of these towers on top of him to give us time to retreat?"

The Servant grinned, "Easy enough," He spoke.

"I'll leave it to you!" She knew that a distance had to be placed between Archer, Daemon, and herself. As the Heroic Spirit would be spending too much energy protecting her otherwise.

" **Darkness II!"** Daemon roared, an orb of violet energy swirling in his clawed hand before he heaved it at the bowman.

Archer gripped his blades, Kanshou and Bakuya, and threw them right at Daemon's position, one of the blades collided with the monster's techniques, exploding in a display of soot and ash. However, the black blade of the pair flew right past Daemon, who wanted to begin mocking the Servant for his missed aim, but quickly decided to fly upward in realization.

It came back, connected to its twin that Archer had reformed in one of his open hands, the Noble Phantasm spun around and cut threw a few of the spires, causing each to plummet towards the ground, but missed Daemon. The Servant leaped up, using a nearby tower as support, and caught the spinning weapon, he rushed upward towards Daemon.

The monster flew down to meet him in open combat, Archer halted his momentum and kicked the tower, jumping from one to another, Daemon had to halt his movement mid-air, his height now equal to half the nearby Control Spires' own. Kanshou and Bakuya were discarded into motes of magical light, a black bow forming in his hand as gravity started to take hold of Archer's freefall, but he remained calm and resolute as a crimson glow emitted from the bow string.

"You won't catch me like that- Ugh!" Daemon suddenly found the Control Spire behind him falling on top of his body, his eyes gazed back, there floating in the sky was a humanoid shape colored in green, its appearance that of an insectoid.

Hakuno Zaizen saw it, "Another one?" She questioned.

"Hakuno!" The voice of a boy called to her. "Over here!"

She looked towards the origin, standing at the top of a boulder was a boy, younger than her, dressed in a gray school uniform like that of a jacket covering his body neck to foot, with black shoes. He had a fair-skin complexion and dark blue hair in a straight-long style.

Archer took advantage and released the Noble Phantasm, "Hrunting!"

It fired off in a split second, faster than the eye could follow, it cut down spire after spire around Daemon which all faltered and fell on top of the creature. He didn't have time to examine his handiwork, the Servant quickly discarded the bow and bolted towards Hakuno Zaizen.

"Quick, I know a hidden passageway nearby," The boy spoke. "Stingmon! Let's go!" He shouted towards the now identified Stingmon who didn't so much as hesitate and flew right out, its form suddenly glowed yellow and it shrunk to the size of a stuffed toy, the light ended and the boy grabbed in the air the same colored creature, now a worm.

She blinked in astonishment but didn't question it right now. He directed and guided her into a cavern, Archer followed close behind, then the boy pressed hard on a nearby rock that pushed inward, which closed the cavern entrance with a boulder.

Thankfully, it was nicely lit in here, with what appeared to be electronic lights embedded in the ceiling.

Hakuno Zaizen released a long-drawn-out breath, "Thank you," She said.

"I owed you for helping me out when I was the Digimon Emperor," The boy said. "You don't need to thank me." He blinked when he re-examined her. "Uh, did you… Grow?"

"I don't understand what you mean by that," She replied, then reached out a hand. "Again, thanks, I'm Hakuno Zaizen."

He took a mild step back, looking her up and down, before focusing on her face. "You look so much like her…" He spoke out loud, then reached out his own hand and shook her's. "I'm Ken Ichijouji, pardon me, but are you her sister? I know you said Zaizen, but are you related?"

"You know Aoi-nee?" She asked, eager to know if her sister was alright.

Ken shook her head, "No, sorry, I thought you were related to another girl…" He said, but then looked to Archer. "Hello again, Archer, is Hakuno Kishinami alright?"

The Servant narrowed his eyes, Ken shifted uncomfortably under the gaze.

"What do you mean if I'm alright?" Hakuno Zaizen questioned.

"Huh?" Ken spoke in surprise.

She blinked, "What?"

* * *

Koushiro Izumi pushed aside a stack of books and folders, which all fell to the ground into a complete mess, but the Digidestined of Knowledge paid no attention to it, placing down his laptop on top of the desk while behind him stood some of the other Digidestined. His expression betrayed his concern and worry, biting his lip as he impatiently waited for the computer to boot up.

"Izzy," A girl named Hikari Yagami spoke, "Does this have to do with my brother missing?"

Yolei crossed her arms, "Yeah, and I haven't heard from Matt either, despite the fact he asked me to mix tape him something."

He took a deep sign, then turned to them, the group were Hikari, Yolei, Daisuke, Takeru, and Iori 'Cody'.

"We're being targeted," He began.

"But who!?" Daisuke interrupted.

Cody said, "Don't interrupt."

"Sorry," The fiery boy replied.

"As I was saying," Koushiro started again. "Something out there is targeting us Digidestined, and so far I presume it caught both Tai and Matt. However, Tai managed to send me a message concerning it." He pulled it up on his own D-Terminal. "It seems like a digimon called Wendigomon, which attacked Tai when he was in the Digital World with Agumon. However, Wendigomon displayed an ability that brought the battle to the Real World and then the digimon attacked two girls, one that looked very much like Hakuno."

"Like Hakuno?" Takeru questioned.

Patamon hovered nearby, "Maybe he got confused?"

"Tai seems to think it's after those with Digivices, perhaps it might have confused Hakuno's Portable Terminal for one, but that doesn't explain why it would-" Koushiro trailed off.

"Izzy," Yolei interrupted. "You said there was someone that looked like Hakuno but wasn't actually her. Which means the girl must not even have a Portable Terminal, to begin with."

Cody then brought up a point, "What if she's the one Hakuno was based off?"

The Digidestined looked at him in confusion.

"Hear me out," Cody said. "The Digital World is a mesh of data taken from our world's history and culture, but even though we can spot the similarities, many digimon and places are different than their real-world counterparts."

Koushiro clapped his hands in realization, "That's an excellent theory, Cody! That would explain why I could never find anything about Hakuno Kishinami, it's because her real counterpart would likely be named and act differently than her!" He exclaimed.

Yolei looked at them both, "So what you're saying is… Even though they would both look the same, they would be different people, like twins?"

"Ah," Hikari caught on. "We never considered that! Many digimon look the same but are different, we just never thought Hakuno could be similar circumstance cause she's human!"

"A Digital Human," Cody corrected. "But yes, that's what I'm saying. Maybe because of that, Wendigomon thought the girl was Hakuno. So tried to grab her too while kidnapping Tai."

"A case of mistaken identity?" Takeru questioned. "I don't know if it's that simple, in any case, Wendigomon is still targeting us Digidestined, along with potentially Hakuno, for an unknown reason."

"Did…" Hikari trailed off, "Did my brother say anything else?" She finished speaking.

Koushiro shook his head, "No, I don't think had time to… But if Wendigomon can defeat Greymon, then we should all assume he's either a powerful champion-level digimon or an ultimate."

Daisuke slammed a fist in his other hand, "Then how about we just team up and beat the snot out of that kidnapping monster!"

"How do we do that if we can't even find him?" Yolei questioned.

"He's targeting us, right?" Daisuke said. "All we have to do is a buddy system, each of us always has another Digidestined around, so when he pops up there will be two or three of us to stall him as the rest show up to beat him down!"

Hikari responded, "What about Mimi? She's in America, so unless a natural gate pops up around her, then the only way to get to her is by traveling in the real world."

Koushiro tapped away at his laptop, "Well, might as well experiment with my enhanced Digi-Port then, but we'll need Hakuno to try it."

"What for?" Cody asked.

"While it may not let her into the Real World, my theory is that if she does her Code Cast on the Digi-Port, it'll let us open a gateway nearby any other Digidestined, D-3 or not," Koushiro explained. "Then we can connect to Mimi or one of the American Digidestined."

"Nice!" Daisuke responded. "Let's go visit Hakuno now!"

"What if she's not home?" Yolei said.

Takeru replied, "She's still injured, why wouldn't she be home? She can use both her Servants to protect her easily against Wendigomon, so unless she decides to go for a walk, nothing bad should happen to her."

* * *

Hakuno Kishinami felt a bit of concern for Aoi Zaizen, as the older girl had slammed her head against the table quite harshly, after eating the stunningly delicious soup and noodles provided by the restaurant, seriously it was really good broth, but Aoi had become frustratingly, and understandably, confused on any explanations Hakuno had given her concerning the girl's current whereabouts.

It had taken a bit of subtle information gathering and analysis, but Hakuno Kishinami could piece together Aoi Zaizen's background and story with all that she provided the magus with.

They were kindred spirits, in a metaphorical sense, as like herself, Aoi was actually from a different world than the actual Earth connected with the Digital World. The terminology, history, and knowledge Aoi held were vastly different than the current technological level of the Digidestineds' own. Also, the formation and presence of LINK VRAINS, and the cyberspace network as a whole would directly contradict the Digital World. If Hakuno Kishinami wasn't from a world even more advanced than Aoi's, then perhaps she would have thought the older girl a bit crazy.

But, there was other information as well, namely that Aoi Zaizen's sister was her version of Hakuno Kishinami.

That had been an eye-opener.

In a technical sense, Aoi was her sister, but in reality, wasn't. A complication that Hakuno Kishinami didn't know what to make of, she never had a family before, the closest analog would be the whimsical relations between her Servants… But they weren't blood-related or acted like siblings.

Not when two try to get her into marriage, and Archer… Archer was more like a guardian butler, well, actually maybe he would fit the overprotective brother trope…

Moving on, Hakuno had explained to Aoi Zaizen about the Digital World, and in a limited sense, herself. The older girl did not need the knowledge that her 'sister' in this particular world was a digital copy of another, cryogenically frozen, version.

It would probably be too much for her to take in.

Aoi looked up, "So…" Her face was still expressing disbelief, but she seemed to try hard to accept it. "Companion AIs turned into our partners in the Digital World?"

She was referring to her digimon, Lunamon.

"Yes," Hakuno replied, but truthfully did not know how the Digidestined received their own partners. "Caster is one of my partners."

"One of…? You have multiple? Haku-nee has this AI called Archer," Aoi said.

 _She felt her heart quiver as sorrow stuck like a blade to her chest._

Hakuno Kishinami took a deep breath and beat down the emotion with willpower, "Yes, I also have Saber, she's back at my base."

Caster looked up from her third bowl of noodles, "There she can stay! For it is Caster's time for a date with my husband!"

"A date…?" Aoi spoke flabbergasted. "You date your AI- I mean, partner?"

"She just says stuff, Caster is very eccentric," Hakuno replied.

"You don't like, kiss and stuff, do you?" She pressed on, eager to learn more.

"I haven't stolen her third kiss yet!" Caster exclaimed with a pout as her ears twitched in agitation, "I can't believe that girl took her first and second kiss! The nerve!"

Aoi Zaizen's face lit up a cherry pink.

Hakuno sighed, why did Caster have to make things complicated?

"Oh, my goodness, my younger sister from another world got her kiss stolen by another girl…" Aoi was reflexly placing both hands on her face, as if either embarrassed or shocked… Probably both.

The magus girl wasn't really good at knowing emotions connected to the more romantic side.

"Younger sister?" Hakuno questioned.

"Yeah," Aoi recovered from her earlier emotion. "Sure you're not actually Haku-nee, but I'm sure the Aoi of this world won't mind me calling you my sister as well!"

Hakuno's face plummeted, " Um… There… I don't actually have a family."

"Wait… I don't exist here?" She questioned.

"Not to my knowledge," Hakuno replied.

She blinked, then shrugged, "Well, that doesn't change anything for me! Mhm… What to call you as a nickname… Can't use Haku-nee, so… Kishi-chan? No… Kishi-nee-chan?" She started listing off strange combinations of Hakuno Kishinami's name using odd additions.

What's with this 'nee' and 'chan' stuff?

Aoi Zaizen didn't know honorifics of such didn't exist in this world.

"Haku-chan!" She settled on that. "It's simple and not nearly as much as a mouthful."

"..." Hakuno remained silent, before breaking it, "But I'm not your sister?"

"Sure you are! I mean, in a way you are, that and you're my little sister! I've always wanted to see what's it like to be the big sister, Haku-nee doesn't count because we're practically the same age."

"Okay…?" Hakuno didn't even know what to think. "But you have to deal with Caster now."

"Huh, what do you mean?" Aoi questioned in confusion.

There was a squeal of excitement before Aoi Zaizen found herself enveloped in a tight hug, with a fluffy tail brushing against her legs. "Yes! Sister, get! You'll be my sister-in-law! Oh, by the way, Hakuno is mine, so no sibling route alright?" The fox girl, Caster, spoke whole patting Aoi's head like a puppy.

"S-sibling route!?" Aoi stuttered, her face turning a shade of red.

"Caster," Hakuno spoke.

"Just a bit more Master~" Caster sang a bit as she snuggled with Aoi a bit more, her hands trailing along the girl's body and-.

"H-hey! Stop that!" Aoi caught on and managed to dislodge the Servant's hands from her body.

"But you're so cute, like my adorable husband, very similar! I just had to check every part!" Caster said cheekily, twirling around to Hakuno's side. "Not matching her entirely, but I like this new older sister of yours!"

Hakuno sighed again.

Aoi followed suite.

Caster giggled, "In sync already!" She said. "Don't worry, my lovey dove husband, I won't sneak into her futon at night, you're the only one for me-"

"Caster!" Hakuno shouted to interrupt the Servant.

"Fine, fine," Caster waved it off. "I guess that's enough teasing for now."

Lunamon finally looked up from the bowl of noodles, "Something happened?"

"I wish it didn't," Aoi replied, trying so hard to ease herself while blushing madly. "I didn't know Haku-chan's partner was such a fox."

The digimon tilted its head, "Did the ears and tail not give it away?"

"Not in that sense…" Aoi said, "Haku-chan, how old are you exactly?" It was something she wished to know out of curiosity.

"Thirteen," Hakuno replied.

"You're kidding me…" She trailed off.

Hakuno Kishinami shook her head.

"I need to save you while I still can," Aoi said.

"Save me…?"

"Yes!" Aoi pointed a finger accusingly at Tamamo. "From that vulpine in heat!"

"I don't understand?"

"How do you not!?" Aoi exclaimed in disbelief.

"It's just how she is," Hakuno said. "I did say before her history causes her to-"

Suddenly, the restaurant shook.

Immediately, Hakuno Kishinami, Tamamo, Aoi Zaizen, and Lunamon stood up from their seats in anticipation of an attack. This was not an earthquake, the movement of the building was too spaced, with some parts not being affected. Then, a nearby wall crumbled apart, revealing the large bully form of a brown, animalistic digital monster.

" **Go back…"** A low tone, yet clearly heard, spoke.

"It's the wendigo!" Aoi exclaimed as she took a step back.

"Skill!" Hakuno shouted her order just a second after.

"Curse: Chaos Heaven!" A tag appeared in Tamamo's hand and she threw it right when it was made, it flew and stuck on the massive monster who didn't so much as pay any attention to it in favor of slowly making a step towards them.

It's mistake.

The paper tag lit up with a bright glow before exploding with a display of intense wind colored in a green color from the magical energy. Whether it was surprised or damaged, it nevertheless staggered back from Caster's spell.

 _Hakuno's magic circuits surged with od, inner magical energy._

She raised her hand, directed at her Servant, "Code Cast: Magic 16!"

A violet light erupted around Caster's figure, enhancing the potency of any further magic-based abilities. Tamamo revealed a beautiful mirror and threw it into the air, where it began to float and rotate around her body like a sentient object. She stood protectively in front of both her Master and Aoi, ready to engage in combat with the revealed enemy.

"You interrupted our date! So expect a thousand curses you cryptoid reject!" Caster insulted the wendigo-based digimon. "Let's show it the power of our love, my husband!"

Hakuno Kishinami wasn't so confident in having combat right now, she would be more limited than usual due to her physical injury, and while her magic circuits were still prime and ready, Caster's abilities were costly without proper set-up. Not to mention, this digimon was still too new, there hadn't been much information about it other from what she learned from Aoi…

But…

A beeping sound echoed from the Portable Terminal.

 **Matrix Information Gained!**

 **Wendigo? - Level 1**

She's fought with little information before.

According to Aoi's account, it had a range shockwave-based attack, which means enclosed spaces wouldn't do them any good. They should find a way to leave the interior of the restaurant to a more suitable location. It had the physical strength to match Greymon one on one and likely succeed, so Caster should avoid getting hit else she'll take some major damage.

"Can your partner digivolve?" Hakuno asked Aoi.

"What?" Aoi replied.

So that was out of the question, it would be Caster against it alone, as Hakuno doubted Lunamon, as a rookie-level digital monster, would be able to damage the enemy.

"Here it comes, Master!" Caster exclaimed.

It shot forward with quite the haste, its movements were unpredictable to her, not until she had more time to study them. It raised the left arm and smashed it down against the flooring, breaking the wood, then brought up its right and thrust it at… Her?

"Break!" Hakuno shouted as she decided to take a few steps back out of its reach.

The floating mirror came sailing down like a supersonic frisbee, smashing down on the wendigo's right arm with decent strength. This action disrupted the creature's action, allowing Caster to pull out another tag with her witchcraft.

"Curse: Frigid Heaven!" She stuck the tag on the arm and then leaped off it, grabbing her mirror in the air and returned to her Master's side.

It tried to bring back its appendage but the tag erupted outward in a display of ice crystals, freezing and encasing the limb in magic produced glaciers.

Hakuno lightly jogged and grabbed Aoi by the arm, "We need to leave!" She said, "No space here!"

"I know that!" Aoi replied as she went into a light sprint, easily going a bit ahead while Lunamon latched onto her shoulder. Noticing how simple it was to rush ahead of Hakuno Kishinami, Aoi turned to her. "Haku-chan? You're really slow?" It was a confused question.

"I can't run," Hakuno replied, her injury was already in pain, the body wasn't prepared for excessive movement just yet and it showed.

"Worst moment!" Caster exclaimed as she lifted her Master up gently in a bridal hold. "Sorry for the rough ride, but go!" She yelled the last part at Aoi and Lunamon.

"Caster stop!" Hakuno suddenly shouted and Caster came to an abrupt stop, just in time to weave out of being grabbed by the wendigo digimon that appeared out of thin air in front of them. The Servant gasped in astonishment then kicked off the floor and into the air, unfortunately with a ceiling, there wasn't much room to maneuver with a fragile girl in tow.

"Luna Claw!" Lunamon slashed at the massive creature with a paw radiating purple energy.

The wendigo bashed him away without much effort, Lunamon sent flying into the wall and destroying it.

"Lunamon!" Aoi exclaimed in shock.

It raised a hand and let it fall to grab her, but Aoi avoided it by rolling and running toward her downed companion.

"Watch out, Aoi!" Lunamon shouted as the digimon stood up and aimed at the wendigo beast, the antenna at its forehead conjuring forth an orb of water. "Tear Shot!"

Lunamon's ability fired off, the orb of water traveling through the air before splashing roughly on the wendigo, but it did nothing to dissuade the monster. However, it did manage to wet its fur.

"Caster, that electric curse!" Hakuno said as they landed at a safe distance, she remembered the Servant using that particular element against Tentomon.

"Oh! First showing! Got to make it sound cool," Caster said as she placed Hakuno down quickly and whipped out another tag out of her magical energy. "Curse: Thunder Heaven!" She threw the tag.

Tamamo-no-mae's tag stuck to the wendigo and burst outward in a display of electrical energy.

" **Willis…"** it groaned out while being electrocuted before the wind around them picked up, visible currents coming into view before they picked up in intensity and caused them all to cover their eyes…

And like that, the wendigo monster was gone.

Hakuno Kishinami walked up to Aoi Zaizen who was next to her partner, Lunamon, the digimon had already recovered from the earlier hit. "Are you alright?"

"Am I alright? What about you, Haku-chan? You're already hurt, aren't you? I think Caster mentioned that before!" Aoi angrily shouted.

Hakuno was stunned, she didn't understand why Aoi had gotten angered. "I did not choose to have that digimon appear?"

"Show me," Aoi firmly said.

"Huh?"

"Show me your injury, Haku-nee!" Aoi said, then realized what she said. "I mean, Haku-chan…" She trailed off. "Sorry, you look so much alike, I didn't mean to get angry at you for something out of your control… That was stupid of me."

"You're really close?" Hakuno Kishinami asked. She wondered what that felt like, to have a sibling.

Aoi smiled, "Yeah… We're getting closer together, she… She was in a coma for a while, some disease that gave her amnesia when she finally beat it. I've been trying my best to reconnect with her cause before then we were… Separating."

A disease? Likely a variant of the same disease her own original counterpart had, but unlike the real Hakuno Kishinami, Hakuno Zaizen survived hers without the need for cryogenic preservation.

Caster pats her clothes down from the dust, "Hey, I'm sure everything will be peachy, besides, you can check her out when we find that Hakuno!"

Hakuno Kishinami's thought process halted.

Wait… If Aoi Zaizen has crossed over to the Digital World, and Hakuno Zaizen was with her when it happened… Even though that Hakuno's AI companion was called Archer didn't mean it would turn into a Servant, likely it was also converted into a digimon that couldn't digivolve yet…

Which meant that Aoi's sister was near defenseless in the vast Digital World filled with enemies.

"We need to find your sister," Hakuno Kishinami said.

"Of course we do, Haku-chan!" Aoi agreed.

The Digital Human pulled out her Portable Terminal, the Digital World was too large to traverse and find a single person with just her and Aoi. Thankfully, the Digidestined may be able to help.

She only hoped that Hakuno Zaizen was okay.

"Hehe," Caster giggled.

"What is it, Caster?" The magus girl questioned as she tapped away a mail to the Digidestined.

"Nothing, just thinking how funny it would be if that Hakuno came across the Private Room, I bet that roman barbarian would be in for a surprise," Tamamo said.

Hakuno Kishinami doubted that her counterpart would be so fortunate, besides, what are the chances of her finding the base without a guide?


	2. Chapter 2

**Boyzilla Author's Note** : Thank you to everyone enjoying the story so far! I have to say, it sure was a challenging writing the chapters, and likely will be for the upcoming final part. But it was fun! Unlike my other stories, I won't be answering questions. However, feel free to PM if you are confused!

 **Announcement:** Digital/VRAINS is canon to Digital/Extra! All will be explained on just how it is canon in the last part since this story occurs before certain chapters in both stories. I guess that makes it part of the Digital Human series!

 **TheStrangerThatCameFromNowhere** : And while on the subject of canon, Digital/VRAINS will also be considered canon for my story, Fate/VRAINS. All will be explained in good time, dearest readers. In the meantime, sit back, grab a drink and watch as two adorable little girls meet...and dread the incoming Tamamo storm.

Enjoy the collab everyone! Know not all stories are spoken in a single path, as a tree that branches mighty and far can at one point touch the branch of another equally great tree

* * *

 _Digital/VRAINS_

 _Part 2 of 5_

" _You're never quite the same after you meet your first digimon."_

Hakuno Zaizen had pieced it together, at least as much as she could with the information explained by Ken Ichijouji. While they had traveled through a cave system, a number of questions had been asked between them. It became quite apparent, if the presence of Daemon and the strange environments wasn't a clue enough, that she had been transported into another dimension dissimilar to both her home and that of the Moon Cell. It was cyberspace but of a sort radically different from LINK VRAINS in that the Digital World was a living, breathing place where creatures born from data resided called Digimon, short for Digital Monsters.

A realm parallel and intimately connected with its own version of Earth.

Quite a surprise, both fascinating but also eerily dangerous. The Digital World was not restricted to the laws and rules of a cyberspace like LINK VRAINS but had its own that were more akin to reality.

Though, while she might understand this, Ken Ichijouji appeared quite passive in his reaction. Not that Hakuno had informed him of the possibility she came from another world, but the girl had the feeling he was making a theory in his head.

Ken had been surprised above all by Archer. Apparently, there was another Hakuno Kishinami in this world, one with an Archer of her own, which meant she might have been involved in a Holy Grail War of her own.

Whether that Holy Grail War involved the Moon Cell or not, Hakuno Zaizen hoped it didn't. It was unlikely, though, considering the original Hakuno Zaizen wasn't involved in anything concerning the Moon Cell, so likely it was a similar case here.

She rather not put anyone through an experience like that, perhaps Hakuno Kishinami had summoned her Servant by other means than a Holy Grail War.

A positive thought, one Hakuno Zaizen kept as they left the caverns and journeyed across a lively forest that had a strange environment to it like the plants were of a lower definition.

They also past by an empty bathtub in the middle of nowhere, that had been an odd sight.

Little words had been exchanged between Ken Ichijouji and Hakuno Zaizen, as the latter learned through a bit of prodding that the former had bad experiences in the Digital World concerning her counterpart. Thankfully, Wormmon, his digimon partner, which the Zaizen girl learned that each member of a Digidestined group was chosen by some unknown means to have a partner and Digivice; yet another item she needed an explanation of.

In anycase, Wormmon explained briefly that Hakuno Kishinami had been vastly responsibility for defeating Ken when he was the Digimon Emperor under the influence of a hostile faction.

Well, Hakuno Zaizen now knew that her counterpart had her own share of dangerous problems.

They were coming across into the midst of a large bamboo forest when Archer stopped her.

"Master," Archer spoke, Hakuno diverted her attention towards him. "I sense a Servant nearby."

In an instant, Hakuno Zaizen felt like her heart sped up a notch at the notion of a potential enemy Servant. Logically, she reasoned that perhaps it was her counterpart's Servant, but would the other girl be friendly in the first place? Traveling alongside what was her counterpart's former enemy did not send entirely peaceful notions, especially since there was another Servant.

Perhaps they had frightened her? Hakuno couldn't blame her other if that was the case.

She hoped Aoi was alright in all this mess…

Ken looked at her, "It might be Saber or Caster, considering the overprotectiveness of those two towards Hakuno Kishinami."

"Wait, Saber and Caster…?" Hakuno Zaizen questioned.

"Yeah, Kishinami has multiple partners," Ken explained.

She has multiple Servants?!

"Umu! You have made it this far into my Praetor's territory! But you shall make it no further! I shall display arts that will make you so dumbfounded that you all shall kneel in worship of my glorious showcase!" It was a feminine voice, bright, optimistic, and proud, holding a charm to it that was alluring and boastful in tone.

Hakuno Zaizen turned to face its origin point.

A short-statured woman adorned in wonderous roman clothing hued in a mix of gold and crimson colors, a gown befitting of her petite figure that shined brightly like the sun. Her fair skin gleamed in the light, blonde hair tied together in a bun with a ribbon and green irises that started determinedly towards them. At her side, an elegant crimson blade that matched her intensity, shaped like a living flame, it was disproportionate as a weapon yet at the same time so much like her.

 _She was beautiful, glorious and radiate, unlike anyone else Hakuno ever met._

And she charged directly at them with blade swinging in tow.

Archer reacted quickly as dual short blades, black and white, were already formed in his hands the moment the Servant had appeared. He charged and brought them up in the nick of time as that crimson blade collided with sparks flying, the earth beneath Archer's feet cracked from the enemy Heroic Spirit's strength.

"False Archer! How dare you make a mockery of the bowman's sacrifice! Such insolence to blacken the heroic sacrifice that my Praetor shed tears too!" The red-garbed woman shouted with clear displeasure.

"A Saber?" Archer grunted as he disengaged, but Saber had reversed her position, dancing around him and swinging her weapon. He barely managed to parry the blow and leaped backward to gain distance between them.

Hakuno Zaizen didn't know what was agitating the Saber Servant. The, albeit beautiful, Heroic Spirit seemed to have her attention fixed entirely on Archer with a passion that expressed frustration and anger. She tried to piece together the information that Saber lent out, namely, the speech concerning a sacrifice.

It implied something loss, or rather potentially, the loss of someone. Saber referred to Archer as a false one, a fake, and considering she mentioned 'bowman' it appeared likely that Hakuno Kishinami's own Archer Servant had…

Her eyes widened in realization.

Saber's motions were far too knowing as if she was experienced in dealing with Archer's movements, which implied that Hakuno Kishinami's own Servant of the Bow was the exact same Heroic Spirit.

Also, taking into consideration that earlier battle with Daemon mentioning Archer specifically as like the digimon knew him…

Her, and by that logic, her counterpart's Archer Servant, Nameless, had been killed in this world.

 _It was not a pleasant thought to take in._

However, perhaps because of those similarities…!

"Saber, stop!" Hakuno Zaizen shouted towards the Servant.

Saber stopped just abruptly from charging forth at Archer yet again, her head snapping to face Hakuno Zaizen in surprise. "Praetor?" She questioned in confusion, unsure and in doubt but quickly changed to a brilliant smile. "Worry not! I shall deal with this mockery soon enough! Archer's glorious scene will not be downcasted by this fake! Support me as you always do and we'll end it quickly!"

Archer smirked, "Not the first time I've been called a fake."

Hakuno Zaizen opened her mouth to speak but Saber interrupted, "Do not fret about your reserves of magical energy, as I am the Emperor, of course, I can do Independent Action just as well if not better than the Bowman could!" She boasted so highly that it nearly appeared to be more actual fact than a bluff.

"I think you're confused, Saber!" The duelist girl replied. "Take a closer look!"

"Praetor? What do you mean…?" Saber trailed off her words as she refocused her attention towards Hakuno Zaizen. There was perhaps half a minute of silence, the air was tense and Archer awaited anxiously for another attack while his Master held a firm gaze as hard as she could to Saber's examination.

Ken Ichijouji coughed, "Let's calm down and get things cleared up."

"You…" Saber began before pointing a finger accusingly at Hakuno Zaizen. "You're not Praetor yet are Praetor!"

"Double Praetor?" Wormmon commented.

"An excellent thought, insectoid monster!" Saber relaxed her stance and began nodding to herself. "Umu! A second Praetor! I can see many scenes playing out! Your gaze is quite different from my own Praetor, but you hold that same spirit within! Very well, I shall permit you entering my Praetor's Private Room, but that Bowman lookalike stays outside!"

The Heroic Spirit's tone had shifted so dramatically that Hakuno Zaizen was a bit dumbstruck on how to react to it. How did her counterpart manage to deal with this Servant? She was just so… Ecstatic.

Not in a bad way, Saber's personality had a refreshing charm to it that the Zaizen girl found calming.

"Also, the false emperor," Saber narrowed her eyes a bit. "May leave, I will not strike you down out of Praetor's wishes, but the fox may not be so keen to allow you to leave unscathed once she returns with her," She explained.

Ken turned to Hakuno, "This is where I leave you, as you know, Hakuno and I have a tense relationship, so I best leave. I don't think she forgives me yet for what I've done to her." He shifted uncomfortably as Hakuno Zaizen looked at him. "Besides, I'm not ready yet to speak with her, I barely can handle you."

"Thanks for helping me," She said. "I'm sure she'd forgive you." If her counterpart was anything like her in personality than of course, she would forgive Ken in a heartbeat.

"Perhaps," Ken replied. "But I myself can't accept it yet, besides, her Servants are another matter altogether."

Hakuno took a glance at Saber, who was staring daggers at Ken, "Fair enough, I wish you well."

He waved a hand then turned to leave, "Let's go, Wormmon."

"It was nice to meet you," Wormmon said to her then followed after Ken Ichijouji who walked the pathway outward of the bamboo forest.

Hakuno Zaizen realized she was left alone with two Servants, one which was Archer, and another which was adamant in getting her inside Hakuno Kishinami's Private Room…?

Wait, the _Private Room_?

That was nostalgic, and something that while it reminded her of the Holy Grail War, did not impart any negative memories tied to it.

Saber rushed to her, Archer nearly went to intercept, but all the Servant did was grab hold of Hakuno Zaizen's hand and guide, well, pull her towards the building. There was a gentle yet firm grip to the petite woman's hand, restrained strength in the grasp for Hakuno's wellbeing. It felt a bit comforting, to know that Saber was holding back so carefully to avoid harming her. She glanced back to Archer, who seemed unsure that his Master should be alone inside with another's Servant without him.

She shook her head to him so to indicate not to stop Saber. If they wanted to gain the trust of this world's Hakuno Kishinami, they should go along with what the other girl's Servant wanted.

With that, Hakuno Zaizen entered the traditional Japanese Temple, and while she eyed the front sliding door with suspicious due to the purple security marks that were identical to those in the Moon Cell, the inside interior appeared more akin to a household than a temple.

"Welcome, Praetor!" Saber pridefully announced. "This is our citadel! While it may not be as impressive as Rome's, I admit that the Japanese hold a distinct artistry that is quite fascinating."

The sixteen-year-old girl nodded in agreement, ideally wondering what Saber meant when referring to her by that name 'Praetor'. It likely was a meaning of respect, seeing how the Servant used the word to describe Hakuno Kishinami just moments before.

She decided to examine the home of this world's Hakuno, lacking the modernized look of her own home in Den City, the sharp contrast was very apparent in that this building held a clear resemblance to a more traditional Japanese outlook. In entering from the front doorway, one would come across the living room area that held a small tea table surrounded by knee pillows, a leather-bound recliner, and a small closet door likely holding cleaning supplies, finally a clearly outdated television.

Though considering this was a different world, technological comparisons shouldn't be made.

Moving on, the girl spotted the kitchen area, which was cleanly kept. Curiously, Hakuno Zaizen opened the cabinets and fridge, but was disappointed and admittedly a bit concerned by the lack of food supplies outside of a few, very few, basic necessities.

Intellectually, the young Zaizen knew that these would never be able to be a fulfilling meal unless her counterpart's Servants… Oh, considering the departed Archer, it might have been a newfound problem recently.

Decided it best to carry on, Hakuno left the kitchen and followed a short hallway out of the living room, there were three separate doors, each leading into individual rooms.

"Umu! That is our chambers!" Saber explained. "Are you interested in my Praetor's personal chambers?" She questioned but didn't give Hakuno Zaizen any time to reply before abruptly shoving the girl into her counterpart's room. "It is of no concern, Praetor had the Digidestined slumber inside it as well!"

The Digidestined, if she recalled Ken's explanation, were the group of people that her counterpart made friends with.

"It's very nice," She said.

In reality, it was very barebones and simple compared to her own room back home, the room was nearly completely empty, and although it looked pleasant to the eye with the wide window shining sunlight into it, there was a feeling of loneliness to it that made Hakuno Zaizen uncomfortable. There was a lone white futon in the middle, then a pair of royal blue clothing like that of a sailor uniform folded neatly nearby. But outside of that, nothing, no furniture whatsoever and not even colored wallpaper.

"I insisted we add more lavish decoration," Saber said, which Hakuno agreed with wholeheartedly, "But Praetor seemed content with this. Although there is an art to simplicity, I must argue that there should be more. But perhaps it reminds her of our Private Room back in the Moon Cell."

 _She froze on the spot then and there._

"W-what did you say?" Hakuno Zaizen questioned the words she had just heard.

"Did you not hear?" Saber questioned in return. "I spoke on how we needed more decoration-"

"No, not that," She interrupted. "You mentioned the Moon Cell."

"You wish to inquire on Praetor and I's journey in the Moon Cell Holy Grail War? Umu! Quite a tale! Well, before her arrival in the Digital World, I had been summoned by her determined…" Saber continued to trail off into an elaborate story about the Holy Grail War with Hakuno Kishinami.

Every single word, with the exception of Saber's presence, was a nearly identical account of exactly what her own Holy Grail War was like. There were differences to be sure, plenty of different actions that her counterpart made that she herself didn't, but the similarities were so staggering there was no definite way to avoid the truth of the matter.

Her counterpart _was and is_ Hakuno Kishinami.

An alternate version of her that, unlike the original Hakuno Zaizen, experienced the Moon Cell Holy Grail War's cruelty just as much.

So, just how had her counterpart manage to leave the confines of the Moon Cell? Did it relate to Twice Pieceman like herself? Also, why did she have three Servants now, yet Saber's story doesn't mention the other two whatsoever?

There were a dozen other questions she would love to ask her counterpart.

But, while that was something she wanted, she needed to find her sister, Aoi.

So, there wasn't time to just idle by with Saber while Aoi was out there somewhere without a Servant of her own!

As such, while she understood what her counterpart has gone through, her immediate family took priority. After all, the other Hakuno seemed to have gained a new life herself, just like her, and that's something they had in common, it wouldn't feel right to interfere with Hakuno Kishinami.

She already took the original Hakuno Zaizen's life, she shouldn't force herself on another Hakuno's own.

So, Hakuno Zaizen left the room and started stepping towards the exit.

"Praetor! Where are you going?" Saber stopped speaking her story and followed her quite closely.

She turned to the Heroic Spirit, "I'm not your Master, why do you call me that?"

"Nonsense!" Saber replied instantly with an optimistic charm. "You may not be my Praetor exactly, but I can see with but a glance that you are still Praetor! Nothing can change that!" She said.

"I'm not," She firmly retorted. "I shouldn't be here, I can't be here."

Saber narrowed her eyes a bit but returned quickly to her normal, bombastic expression. "You belong here just as much as she does, there is nothing telling you otherwise but yourself." She nodded to her own words. "You are still her, even if the differences separate you from her, you are both still Praetor."

She paused, never expecting the Servant to speak in such a way to her. They were comforting words, and it helped alleviate her feelings toward the matter, perhaps she had a point.

"Thanks," The girl replied. "I appreciate it, but I do need to go, you see I have a sister who might have been brought along with me."

"A sibling?!" Saber's grin could've been seen from miles away. "Umu! Why did you not tell me before!? A third Praetor makes this even better!"

"A third…?" Hakuno Zaizen wasn't sure if Aoi could handle this overly optimistic Servant.

Hopefully, where her sister is, was sure not to be as hounded by a Servant as she was.

She slid the door open.

And saw the crying figure of Hakuno Kishinami and her sister, Aoi, trying to comfort her, as the former enveloped Archer in a tight embrace while a woman with fox traits and a bipedal bunny-like creature watched.

"I'm sorry," Is the first thing Hakuno Zaizen said.

* * *

They were just outside the town, Caster had returned inside to purchase supplies while Aoi, Hakuno, and Lunamon sat nearby.

Aoi Zaizen had insisted on checking the younger version of her sister, Hakuno Kishinami, so to see how injured the girl truly was. She thought that perhaps she could help in some way, as a big sister should take care of their little siblings, but as Hakuno undid the brown school overlay that was her uniform then pulled up the black wool shirt underneath, Aoi found herself unprepared to take in the truth of just how hurt Hakuno actually was.

It was sickening and downheartening, Hakuno Kishinami's entire abdomen had white bandages wrapped around her, with additional padding centered on right-hand side like something had either slashed open or tore a piece out of the girl. Fortunately, it was well-kept, but the bandages did need some changing soon as there was a color beginning to hue it a mix of dark red and yellow.

The Blue Angel blinked as she narrowed her eyes, there were tiny, nearly indistinguishable blue data particles radiating from through the padding on top the injury that faded shortly thereafter.

Aoi decided not to question that aspect, but the older girl gently trailed a hand over the bandages to inspect how hurt Haku-chan actually was.

"Ow," Hakuno said by reflex, causing Aoi to immediately retract her hand.

"Sorry, Haku-chan," Aoi apologized. "I didn't expect you to be this hurt, don't worry though!" She stood upright, pointing a thumb at herself. "Your onee-san shall help you out! First, we return to your home, then we redress those bandages of yours!"

In actuality, she had little experience in medical treatment, all the knowledge she had were some basics that her brother had taught her when Haku-nee was still comatose in the hospital

It wasn't much but probably better than anything that vulpine perverted partner of Haku-chan could ever do! That shrine outfit wearing woman would probably think kissing the injury would heal it, then make some excuse about massages that would lead to-

"Ahem," Aoi brought herself out of that train of thought. "So, which way is your home anyway?"

Hakuno Kishinami pulled down her shirt and rebuttoned the brown uniform overlay, "It's an hour walk from here."

"You walk through all this wilderness while hurt like this?" Aoi expressed her concern, but it was also laced with a tone that implied heavy disagreement.

"It's not as bad anymore, I can walk fine," She replied without displaying a single lick of emotion, her facial expression was just a monotone showcase of emptiness.

It was disconcerting to Aoi.

"You should have stayed home!" Aoi exclaimed. "You can't run without pain, heck, with that fox spirited woman hanging around you I'm surprised she didn't take advantage of your state!"

"Caster would never do that," Hakuno's retorted with an emotion that Aoi reeled back in surprise from. She clearly disagreed with Aoi firmly on Caster, and the Zaizen girl reminded herself to tone down and remember that she only just met Hakuno's partner, there was more than meets the eye.

"I…" She gathered herself together, just what was with Haku-chan's emotions? They were so _intense_ compared to anyone else. "I wasn't thinking, I didn't mean to insult Caster, forgive me?"

"Okay," Hakuno forgave her very quickly. "Caster means well, she cares for me a lot and would never think of harming me in any way."

"But, she's your partner?" Aoi didn't understand the implications of what Haku-chan meant. Caster was Haku-chan's AI partner, so why did she treat her so personally? "An AI, she was made to be that way."

"She wasn't, she's not like that, Caster's a real person too. A partner isn't a program, they're bound to you." Hakuno Kishinami replied.

"I see…" Aoi said, but truthfully she didn't understand what her little sister meant by her words. She glanced to the side, spotting Lunamon who was smelling the beautiful flowers. Her AI companion acted radically differently from its previous programming from within her Duel Disk, did the shift into a Digital Monster affect Lunamon that much?

What exactly were Digimon anyway? Did Haku-chan's partner, Caster, also classify as one?

Hakuno looked at her, then a slight frown adorned her face and she stepped forward towards Aoi. The Zaizen girl blinked at her sudden movement before Hakuno grabbed Aoi's hand and gently moved it towards Aoi's own chest.

"Haku-chan…?" Aoi questioned puzzled.

"Please," Hakuno pleaded, her eyes looking into Aoi's own with sincerity. "Do not look at the outer exterior. She means… She means so much to me, her, Saber… They all do."

Aoi opened her mouth to reply then closed her, lips quivering under the younger girl's gaze, there was a heavy emotion in those eyes. Something Aoi identified with on a personal level, it shook her, making her heart feel as if a weight had been placed upon it.

"Alright, I think I understand now," Aoi finally replied. "They're real, as real as you and me," Aoi continued. "Caster is very dear to you, isn't she?"

Hakuno Kishinami nodded, "Yes, she is."

Aoi Zaizen understood.

Caster wasn't an AI, companion, friend, or even partner for Hakuno Kishinami.

The shrine adorned priestess was Hakuno's everything, her friend, family, emotional and mental support, caretaker, guide, teacher, protector.

A similar, if vastly more intense, version of Aoi's relationship to her brother, Akira, before Haku-nee awoke from her coma.

If Hakuno lost Caster, it would be like tearing a piece out.

It would destroy her.

Aoi had noticed a few signs of it too, Haku-chan had recently gone through something, Aoi didn't know what, but whatever had occurred shook the young teenager to the core. Now she was barely holding herself together, occasionally showing those sudden, intense emotional swings that Aoi caught before the girl hid them behind a monotone mask.

To see a younger version of her own sister so _hurt_ like this?

Aoi Zaizen felt like she should do something, anything, to help Hakuno Kishinami.

"I'm back, my dear husband!" Caster returned at that moment carrying perhaps twenty bags, Hakuno retracted her hands and turned her attention fully towards the fox woman, pulling out what appeared to be a cellular smart device.

In a flash of light, all the bags disappeared when Hakuno tapped the object she held.

The older Zaizen girl decided not to question that.

"We can return to my Private Room," Hakuno said, looking at Aoi. "If the Digidestined spot your sister, they'll bring her there."

"That's… Your home, right?" Aoi asked.

"It's a base…" Hakuno trailed off her answer with uncertainty on her own reply. She started to walk a particular direction, Caster skipping along happily beside the girl.

Aoi reached a hand forward towards Hakuno, she had to do _something_ for Haku-chan, but nothing came to mind on even what or how she could do to help her newly gained little sister. So, all that done with uselessly raising her arm for no purpose, not even getting the girl's attention.

Lunamon walked by Aoi's leg, looking up, "You alright, Aoi?"

"Lunamon…" She remembered its name, his name, her name? Aoi sighed audibly and dropped her arm, "I don't know, I just don't know."

"Well maybe you'll figure it out as we go," Lunamon optimistically said.

"Maybe," Aoi said. "I should be good at this, I helped Haku-nee, so I can help Haku-chan too! Even if its a bit different…"

Lunamon arched a brow.

"Perhaps more so than a bit," Aoi corrected. "Not like I can show her how to play Duel Monsters at a time like this…" She trailed off as she watched Haku-chan walked off. "I doubt she'd even want to play anything fun right now."

"Nonsense!" Lunamon exclaimed. "She'll want to have fun with you! I might not be a human professional but I believe that you and your sister are the best; that you both can help Haku-chan."

"Huh," Aoi said in slight awe of Lunamon. "You might have a solid point there, well, we will just have to follow her and think of something!"

So, Aoi Zaizen and Lunamon followed after Hakuno Kishinami and Caster.

The journey was quite peaceful, Aoi Zaizen had the chance to see environments that had unique properties to them. As she had never been outside of Japan, let alone Den City for long, it was actually quite interesting to see all this. After they passed through the forest landscape, there was an odd arid plain with metallic objects in the dirt, which didn't hinder their movements at all.

Still, as fascinating as the Digital World was, Aoi's mind couldn't focus long enough to avoid thinking about both Hakuno Kishinami and Hakuno Zaizen.

Is her sister safe? Did Haku-chan's friends find and guide Haku-nee to a safe area? Will Haku-chan be alright after all this? Why was she in the Digital World in the first place?

That last thought caught her attention.

"The bamboo forest region is up ahead," Hakuno Kishinami said, glancing back at Aoi, "Not too far now, maybe a few more minutes of walking."

"I see that," Aoi replied, clearly seeing the large mass of bamboo. "Haku-chan, how did you enter the Digital World? Was it an accident like Haku-nee and I?"

"No," Hakuno replied. "It was on purpose, but I didn't know about the Digital World."

"Why did you leave the Real World then?" She questioned curiously.

"I didn't, I'm trying to go to the Real World," The brown-headed girl responded as they all continued to walk forward towards the region.

Aoi sped up a bit to be walking beside her, "To get back to your family?" She asked, while Aoi knew there wasn't an equivalent to her in this world, that didn't mean there wasn't her version of mother and father.

"I don't have a family," Hakuno answered. "Nobody related."

"What…? You're all alone?" Aoi said, slightly stunned that her younger sister was by her lonesome. "Are you an orphan, Haku-chan?"

The younger Hakuno tilted her head in thought a bit, before nodding. "I guess so."

She didn't seem to care much about that.

Aoi sped a bit and placed herself in Hakuno Kishinami's path, "How about you join Haku-nee and I then?"

"Join?"

The older Zaizen nodded, "Yeah! You can live with us and Nii-sama, our older brother," She explained briefly. "You might have to share a room with one of us though," She laughed a bit at that.

"It's not that simple," Hakuno Kishinami replied sadly.

"Why not?" Aoi asked. "Doesn't your friends leave the Digital World all the time?" She questioned, referring back to Hakuno's explanations from in the restaurant.

"I can't exactly leave the Digital World without special circumstances," Hakuno replied and continued walking right past Aoi, who turned around to keep up with the girl.

"Special circumstances? You make it sound like you're banned or restricted."

"I don't want to talk about it," She firmly said as started walking a bit faster, leaving Aoi behind slightly.

Caster voiced her concern, "Careful, Master, don't trip on anything! Else I'll have to kiss the injury bye bye! Oh wait, I want to do that! But I don't want you hurt! Ah, conflictions!"

Aoi pouted at Hakuno's strange evasion of the subject, she didn't want to press further, but this was perhaps a way to help her little sister out!

Sometimes one has to be stubborn to get through stubbornness!

They had already entered the bamboo forest at this point.

She rushed forward and grabbed Hakuno by her left wrist. "Haku-chan, I'm trying to help you!" Aoi exclaimed.

"I know," Hakuno's expression was a monotone blank, either a clear sign she was hiding her emotions, or frankly, didn't know how to react to Aoi's prodding. "But it's not something-"

"I don't care!" Aoi exclaimed. "You're my imouto, now get with the program and spill out what's wrong!"

Caster leaped to Aoi's side, placing a hand on her shoulder, "Hey, don't force her to speak something she doesn't want to say!"

"You're… You're just like the Digidestined," Haku-chan commented.

"I'll take that as a compliment if it means getting you to explain," Aoi replied.

Hakuno Kishinami stopped walking, causing them all to halt in the middle of a road in the bamboo forest. She shifted uncomfortably, then opened her mouth to speak.

"I'm a Digital Human," Hakuno Kishinami said.

"... Eh?" Aoi was absolutely confused. "Digital Human? What does that mean?"

"A self-aware Artificial Intelligence created in the identical likeness of a human being," She explained. "At least, that's the closest way I can explain it… I made up the term to describe what I was."

Aoi Zaizen stepped back, examining Hakuno Kishinami top to bottom in a brief glance, then looking directly at the girl's eyes, there was worry and fear there, but in those twin orbs shined the distant light of the nightly stars. This Digital Human, an AI, so similar, if not outright identical in many ways to her sister, Hakuno Zaizen.

"You don't act like any AI I've ever known, and I don't think an AI can bleed like that," She pointed at the place of Hakuno's injury. "I don't really care if you're an AI though, Digital Human? Well, it still has the word 'human' in it, so nothing changes."

"The Digidestined reacted the same way," Hakuno said. "But since I'm a Digital Human, the Real World doesn't like it when I go there… I can only stay for a day or two."

"Awesome!" Aoi said.

"Huh?"

Aoi grabbed Hakuno's hand excitedly, "You can transfer yourself into reality and still retain your body like this?! That's amazing! It isn't some sort of hologram, but your actual form?"

"Yes…?" Hakuno replied confused.

"So the issue likely is that you destabilize, right?" Aoi asked.

"Yes, I start destabilizing after a period of time, slowly and increasingly over it," Hakuno Kishinami started to get a bit excited, a smile adorning her lips. "Do… Do you have something that can help that?"

"Well, no," Aoi replied. "But nii-sama works for LINK VRAINS, the most advanced cyberspace in the world, well, I don't know about the Digital World," She waved it off. "But if anyone can help you out, I know he can!"

"Alright," She replied. "I guess we should find your sister then first."

"Our sister!" The Zaizen corrected. "Haku-nee will be your older sister too, Haku-chan!" She exclaimed. "I'll try to keep from dressing you up to often."

"Dress up…?" Hakuno shivered at the mention of it.

"Hey!" Caster shouted. "No garbing my Master in various clothing without my presence!" The fox priestess wrapped her arm around Hakuno Kishinami. "I have to be the one to see how she looks in different outfits and a Kimono! I will get her in one someday!"

"Haku-chan in a Kimono?" Aoi questioned it, picturing the image in her mind. "Yeah, she'll look very cute in that."

"Please don't lock me inside a changing room for hours with your antics," Hakuno Kishinami pleaded and continued walking.

"Oh, it won't be that bad!" The Zaizen girl reassured.

"Oh, it will be that bad!" Caster grinned.

"Now you're not helping!" Aoi retorted with an accusing finger point.

"I'm only- I sense a Servant?" Caster frowned.

They turned on the road and came across a well-kept Japanese Temple, Aoi Zaizen assumed that this was currently Hakuno Kishinami's home, or as she referred to it, her Private Room. It was a beautiful display, the surrounded bamboo and decorated ponds fitted neatly with the building, adding to the serenity and peaceful atmosphere. The sliding door frame, however, held an odd amalgamation of purple cracks glowing throughout its exterior display. But, more notably, there was a tall man garbed in red and black leaning against a wall.

Aoi Zaizen blinked. Unless she was mistaken, that looked like her sister's ace monster, Archer.

* * *

A magus girl named Hakuno Kishinami knew that he would face his death on a hill of blades. It was a fact that contracted the Servant's actual death in life. Archer's existence was a twisted effigy of two differing counterparts, as a human, he was similar but vastly different from the self that appeared as a Heroic Spirit under her summoning.

The world of blades made him, defined him, yet also was not from the self he abandoned.

As contracted by the Moon Cell, Archer obtained abilities that he did not use in life. In the summoning under Hakuno Kishinami, his garb and weapons did not match the clothing and tools he used as a human.

But this was how Hakuno Kishinami knew her Servant.

He was a bit cynical, but in a manner that genuinely cared for her well being and progress as a Master.

Archer displayed something differently towards the end of the Holy Grail War, something she did not understand, and still lacked that understanding. He was closer, a bit more overprotective, more outspoken concerning her feelings and concerns, even if he tried to hide it, Hakuno noticed these.

The Heroic Spirit tutored her like a teacher, scolded her when she messed up, praised her when she improved, and this continued even when they left the Moon Cell and entered the Digital World.

When he joined her with Saber and Caster, Hakuno Kishinami felt so safe, but there was a backdraw to having three Servants. Nero and Tamamo were very outspoken characters, their personalities clashed, but at times, worked with each it other in a way that improved one another. However, Archer's own directly contrasted the female Servants, and outside of a few moments, never had the opportunity to say his words to Hakuno with them around. His Master's attention was taken by the bombastic Heroic Spirits that left little room for both him and Hakuno to converse and interact outside of their moments of exploration together.

All this was something Hakuno Kishinami realized after he vanished.

Only a single day afterward and the aftereffects of his disappearance was made clear, such a drastic shift in the Private Room's atmosphere that even Saber and Caster felt it. But they were Heroic Spirits, and at times, that lone fact left a mark on their reactions in comparison to their human Master, Hakuno Kishinami.

The magus girl had been devastated, without information on how and why Archer had sacrificed himself, it was impossible for her to logically reason out any explanation, leaving her mind to wander dangerously to the possibility that perhaps, it might have been her fault.

Saber and Caster tried their best to comfort her, but it only worked temporarily, it was hard to heal her heart. Their personalities were not something that Hakuno needed, even if she appreciated their attempts, the hole cast into her chest felt more expensive than her injury ever was.

What Hakuno wanted was Archer to come back, even when she knew logically it was impossible. As the only way that could be possible is through the Holy Grail that is the Moon Cell, and she knew that it was something she never wanted to interact with again, not after all she had accomplished to stop the Holy Grail Wars from ever occurring again.

To do so was to insult everything both her and her Servants had gone through.

 _So to see that very Servant standing next to the entrance to the Private Room._

 _Her heart felt a multitude of emotions scattered apart with the force of a Noble Phantasm._

"Ar… Archer?" Hakuno Kishinami's voice stuttered, her left hand reached towards the Servant, crimson Command Seals glimmered in the sunlight.

He heard her voice and looked towards her, there was a look of surprise on his face, as well as a bit of confusion.

Caster tried to say something, but her voice was muted out by Hakuno's emotions, her vision became blurry from a trail of liquid that dripped down her cheeks.

The magus girl took a single step forward, but then burst into a full sprint and collided with Archer's body shortly thereafter, the Servant didn't even move as Hakuno Kishinami enveloped him in a tight embrace, her arms shook and her face was buried in his black and red clothing. Hakuno couldn't see his reaction or even hear anything outside her own voice, her mind clouded by intense sorrow that took her breath multiple times, causing her to gasp in short intervals between tears that leaked from her eyes and were absorbed into the Servant's wear.

She felt his hand stroke along her long brown hair, it was reassuringly comforting to her.

"Hakuno," His voice spoke her name.

But she shook her head, "Stay… Stay here," Hakuno ordered, she felt her legs about to give in, her stamina felt itself draining away as emotion took it all.

He kneeled down just in time to catch her body giving away, Hakuno Kishinami kept her face buried in his chest, her fingers desperately trying to cling onto him, as if he would disappear at a moment's notice.

Aoi said something, but she didn't listen.

Then...

"I'm sorry," Hakuno's voice said, but Hakuno Kishinami realized it wasn't her that said it.

She retracted herself from Archer just a bit to spot the nearly identical appearance of another Hakuno. A brief moment of clarity reminded her that this was likely Aoi's sibling, Hakuno Zaizen. In realization to the actual truth, Hakuno Kishinami looked up to Archer's face to spot an expression that indicated what she dreaded.

"Archer…" The Digital Human's voice quivered, "You're not my Servant, are you?"

His eyes closed as he shook his head, looking away from her with his non-verbal reply.

 _Her hands only grasped his clothes all the harder as her chest felt empty._

"Oh no, Master! Please don't collapse into depression!" Caster exclaimed.

"I… I won't…" Hakuno Kishinami steeled herself and forced her hands to ungrip. She stood up, stepped back, and apologized. "I… I'm… Sorry, for my actions…" It wasn't an easy thing to say.

"Haku-chan… Are you okay…?" Aoi questioned with concern.

The Digital Human's emotions went blank, a monotone expression decorating the magus girl's face, "I'm fine." She said and stepped right past Archer, took only a glance at Hakuno Zaizen, and quietly entered her Private Room with a slight bump against the girl's shoulder. Saber, who was standing behind the Zaizen, reached out towards her Master, only to be completely ignored as Hakuno Kishinami passed by the Servant without so much as a word and entered her personal room, closing the door to be left alone.

* * *

 _A quiet night erupted by the sound of shattering glass, Hakuno Kishinami's left hand shook in pain as she grasped the appendage to ease the stinging sensation coursing through the Command Seal. But, the pain was nothing compared to the sense of overwhelming loss that overtook her as two Command Spells dull away into a gray color._

 _She had lost her Servant, Archer._

 _Nero and Tamamo attempted to comfort her, enveloping her in a warm embrace, it did little to help ease the pain, but she appreciated the gesture and understanding that they knew the fact of what happened. A fellow Servant of Hakuno Kishinami had disappeared from this world._

 _Her heart never felt so shallow._

Hakuno Zaizen collapsed against the wall, right hand holding her chest as it felt like her own heart was about to collapse from the weight of an emotion that wasn't hers. An intensity that she hadn't felt for a long time, the sheer metaphysical pain that came with that sudden memory right when Hakuno Kishinami had bumped into her.

It felt like her magic circuits had ignited themselves prematurely at that very moment of collision, fortunately, she had shut them off again, it had been quite a period of time since she'd ever had to do anything concerning them.

After recollecting the breath that she'd lost, Hakuno Zaizen knew without a fact that her earlier remark concerning Hakuno Kishinami had been completely true. This girl had experienced the Moon Cell just as much as she did. But unlike her, who had gotten Aoi and Akira as siblings after escaping the Moon Cell, Hakuno Kishinami had only her Servants.

They were everything to her.

She could barely imagine what it would feel like if she lost someone close to her in that regard, not that she hadn't experienced such loss before, the Holy Grail War made sure of that, but this had a different personal feeling to it, akin to Rin Tohsaka's demise.

Hakuno Zaizen breathed deeply and stood herself back upright, deciding it best to leave Hakuno Kishinami alone for a while, her counterpart needed some time by herself.

"Aoi-nee," She addressed her sister fondly, walking up to her with some relief, "I'm glad you're alright."

"Course I'm alright, Haku-nee!" Aoi exclaimed. "I was more worried about you, but now, I'm a bit concerned about Haku-chan."

Haku-chan!?

"Did… Did you just refer to her as Haku-chan?" Hakuno Zaizen replied with a slight pink tinting her cheeks in embarrassment, even if it wasn't actually her, the girl still looked like her!

Well, except younger, that had been an obvious difference.

"Yeah," Aoi nodded. "She's our little sister now, so get used to it!"

"Eh…?" Her counterpart as an imouto, there was a thought only Aoi-nee would come up with.

"Mhm…" A humming voice caught Hakuno Zaizen's attention, and she briefly glanced to the side to see Tamamo-no-mae… Wait, how'd she known the Servant's True Name?

Anycase, the Caster Heroic Spirit was examining her up and down and all around with a keen eye.

"Caster?" Hakuno Zaizen asked.

"Even your voice is the same! Except a little different, cause you're an older version of my husband!" Caster shot forward faster than the Zaizen girl could see and was behind her in an instant. Suddenly, Hakuno Zaizen felt the Servant's hands groping her breasts!

"H-Hey!" She retorted.

"Just a moment! I need to memorize your size so I can engrave it in my mind at my husband's future breast sizes!" Caster said it with a grin plastered on her face and a drooling mouth.

"I think otherwise, Caster!" Hakuno Zaizen grabbed the vulpine woman's arms and moved them away, then escaping to the safety that was behind Aoi-nee.

"Aw," The shrine priestess pouted. "Come on, just a bit! I know! How about I draw you a bath, that way you can relax while I take measurements of everything!"

Aoi raised her fists in protest, her arms blocking her sister protectively, "Don't worry Haku-nee! I'll protect you from this crazed fox!"

"Hey!" Saber shouted from the entrance of the doorway, "You shouldn't do such things, Caster!"

Hakuno Zaizen nodded in agreement.

"Without me that is!" Saber added on.

Oh great, there's two of them!

"I think I'll have to step in," Archer began. "But I'm afraid this might be a bit out of my league."

Traitor.

Caster clapped her hands together, "Teasing aside, how about we all enter the Private Room and I'll make us some tea?" She said with a bright smile.

Archer raised a brow, "Quite a quick change of subject there."

"Oh, I know my limits," Caster remarked. "She may look like my husband, but I'm aware she's not, even with that same soul, there is a difference in her eyes."

Aoi blinked, "You can tell too…? How do you withstand Haku-chan like that?"

Saber laughed, "That is Praetor's best feature!" She boasted loudly. "Umu! I can say for certain, it's quite the expression that rivals my greatest works! Of course, the second Praetor is quite lovely as well, perhaps we have just yet to see that same face."

"Is…" Aoi-nee stopped herself for a brief moment before continuing, "Is Haku-chan going to be alright?"

"Worry not!" Saber replied. "Praetor will manage to get through this, I'm confident in her ability!"

Quite a set of bombastic personalities Hakuno Kishinami had to deal with on a daily basis.

"She has my sympathies," Hakuno Zaizen commented under her breath.

"Just as kind!" Caster took her words in a different way.

"Tea sounds good," She replied.

A few moments later…

Hakuno Zaizen had underestimated the potential atmosphere that her counterpart's home could emit at a moment's notice. At first, she thought this place to be bit rural and plain, but it turns out it was part of the aesthetic. Hakuno Kishinami had chosen quite a lovely place, and it went really well with company to fill in the emptiness that dominated it otherwise. Thinking back, Hakuno Zaizen realized that perhaps her counterpart invited her friends, the Digidestined, here multiple times.

It was a thought that comforted her, knowing the younger version of her had a better life than she'd originally thought.

A glass settled down on the table, a relieving sigh escaping Aoi Zaizen, "That was so good… Caster, you're great at making tea!"

"Thank you!" The foxy Servant replied with appreciation. "I've had lots of time to practice my tea making in the Digital World, and plenty of moments to give some to my lovable Master."

Hakuno Zaizen took a sip, her eyes blinking multiple times in surprise, this was _really_ good tea. In fact, though she'd never admitted it to Archer, the Caster Servant's tea matched his own tea-making skill. Speaking of Archer, the Servant decided to remain outside, he seemed a bit shaken by his meeting with her younger counterpart.

"Umu! I've had the pleasure of test tasting the brews while Praetor explored with the red bowman," Saber said, likely referring to her counterpart's Archer. "Admittedly, it is one of Caster's only positives."

"Only one of my positives!?" Caster exclaimed, her ears twitching in agitation. "Well, Miss Roman Barbarian, you can't cook, clean, or do anything to help around here! So I say you're lacking more so in the positives department!"

"On the contrary, of course, I can do all those! I can do anything!" Saber retorted.

"By cheating with that hax skill!" Caster accused.

The Zaizen sisters watched as the argument between Saber and Caster continued back and forth for a full minute, occasionally taking additional sips of tea to relieve a headache they started to generate.

"Quite the dynamic," It was a voice not from them or Hakuno Zaizen, but from the small rabbit-like creature that sat comfortably on her sister's lap.

"Aoi-nee?" Hakuno Zaizen said, pointing towards her sibling's lap.

"Oh, this is Lunamon," Aoi-nee replied. "My… Digimon partner?" She asked more towards the little Digital Monster.

"Yep," Lunamon confirmed the correct terminology.

"Yeah," Aoi Zaizen looked back to Haku-nee, "My partner! My AI turned into a Digimon when I arrived here!"

"Great to meet ya, Hakuno-san!" Lunamon said with a bright grin.

Hakuno Zaizen examined the Digimon, taking note that while it looked similar to a bunny standing upright, its coat had a few colored blue stripes, the ears were oversized and faced downward, also there was the symbol of a crescent moon on Lunamon.

As well as the name itself implies a connection with the Moon.

She hoped that it was just a coincidence.

"I've been thinking of a nickname," Aoi spoke. "Lunamon is too much of a mouthful."

"You think many names as too much a mouthful," The Zaizen sibling commented.

"Hey, I have an excuse this time! Apparently every Digimon as the word 'mon' after its name!" Aoi stated. "So I was thinking of maybe shortening it to Luna, or Lulu, something like that."

"Honorific included?" She questioned.

"Will do, but just don't know what gender Lunamon is?" She addressed it towards her partner.

"From what I'm aware," Lunamon began. "Digimon do not have genders, though the tone of my voice is a bit more feminine than masculine," Lunamon explained.

"Luna-chan it is!" Aoi asserted. "Simple and rolls off the tongue better than Lulu, also makes more sense as you got that crescent moon on your fur."

Luna-chan nodded, "I'll accept any name you give me, Aoi!"

"Luna-chan, I feel this is the start of a beautiful friendship," Aoi quoted.

Caster turned her attention away from Saber and towards the Zaizen siblings, "On the subject of friendship and other relationships!" She said enthusiastically, "Since you're trying to be my husband's big sister, that makes you my sister-in-law by relation of marriage!"

Aoi Zaizen blinked, "Wait, you two are married?"

"Discard that word," Saber retorted. "It is what the vixen says to herself."

Hakuno Zaizen looked at Aoi, "Why did you refer to her as our younger sibling?"

"How could I not?" Aoi replied. "She looks so much like you, Haku-nee, but younger! She's this world's Hakuno Kishinami but doesn't have a family like we do!" Aoi explained.

The duelist Emiya, that being Hakuno Kishinami's Avatar name, responded, "You feel bad for her?

"Well, I…" Aoi paused for a second. "Not that, I just feel like it's the right thing to do. Feel a bit responsible, maybe it's because she's basically you, Haku-nee, so I felt a bit protective," Aoi chuckled a bit in embarrassment.

Hakuno Zaizen knew that while Aoi's feeling towards her younger counterpart were valid, they were perhaps misplaced. If Hakuno Kishinami was still as she was from the Moon Cell, then the girl was still restrained to her data body. Unlike herself, who gained the living, organic body of a departing Hakuno Zaizen; Hakuno Kishinami was likely stuck in the Digital World and would never be able to enter reality.

"Even if in this world she's a Digital Human or whatever, doesn't change the fact she's basically our younger sister," Aoi said.

What!?

"W-where did you hear that from?" Hakuno Zaizen questioned Aoi's words immediately. When did Aoi-nee discover Hakuno Kishinami was an Artificial Intelligence?

Wait, hold on, Aoi-nee mentioned an unfamiliar term, a Digital Human?

"Haku-chan explained it to me," Aoi replied. "She said it was the reason why she couldn't enter the Real World normally. Ah, you probably wondering what Digital Human means! Well, basically, Haku-chan is an Artificial Intelligence created exactly like a human, pretty neat huh? She has even gone into the Real World a few times and still retained her body, even if it's all data! Though she did mention she destabilizes, but I'm sure Akira-nii-san can figure something out."

That had been new information for Hakuno Zaizen, it confirmed her earlier assumption, her counterpart was the very same individual she'd been in the Moon Cell. What had been more so surprising was the fact that Hakuno Kishinami actually could enter the Real World, though from what Aoi explained, it didn't come without cost. Still, the very fact that the younger Hakuno could even manage such a feat was astounding, something that she'd only thought possible through the use of the Moon Cell.

What wish did Hakuno Kishinami make at the end of her Holy Grail War?

She had to know, she wanted to figure out this mystery, but at the same time, forwent pressuring her counterpart in fear of retribution.

How would the girl react to discovering that she had stolen the body of Hakuno Zaizen, an alternate Hakuno Kishinami, to obtain her own wish? Would there be disgust, understanding, Fear? Or perhaps outright hostility?

It was an anxious thought.

Aoi Zaizen stood up suddenly, "In any case, I said I would help replace her bandages! So that's what I'm going to do!"

"Bandages…?" She questioned, was her counterpart injured in some way?

Caster snapped her fingers, "Right! My husband does need it tended again! The first-aid kit is over here, sister!"

"S-sister…?" Aoi stuttered in surprise. "I didn't expect to have a fox girl as a sister…"

Hakuno Zaizen looked at her, "Something tells me she would have called you that eventually, even if you said otherwise."

The Shrine Priestess rummaged through a closet before bringing out a red box with a cross symbol painted on the front. She handed it over to Aoi, and then the fox Servant's usual smile vanished and gave way to an expression of concern. It shocked Hakuno Zaizen how quickly it had shifted like the Heroic Spirit had taken off a mask to reveal her worries.

Caster's voice was soft and gentle, not all bubbly and positive as it was before, she looked to Aoi Zaizen and spoke, "Please help her," She began. "Master… Hakuno isn't usually like this, she's happy and relaxed, loves the time to spend with us and her friends, but Archer's departure hurt her heart. I think your arrival is sorta like destiny intervening! A chance for her to recover and become as strong as ever!" Caster finished.

Aoi smiled, "Don't worry, I'll help her, that's a onee-san's job after all!" She said reassuringly.

"Umu well said!" Saber approved.

"I want to talk with her too," Hakuno Zaizen said, it was important, there were so many questions she wanted to ask, opinions she wanted to hear, but at the same time, she felt a connection and need to comfort the younger Hakuno Kishinami.

She stood up, following Aoi-nee as her sister walked toward Hakuno Kishinami's room and slide open the door, both stepping inside.

* * *

Hakuno Kishinami collapsed against the wall of her room, left hand clutching her forehead as a strange, uncomfortable sensation breached her mind and poured into her thoughts a vivid imagery of something similar, familiar, yet different than how it played out in her own memories. Her breath was heavy, and she lay on the floor with her knees clutched close, eyes shut in concentration to filter the information that occurred shortly after her emotional outburst and colliding against the shoulder of Hakuno Zaizen.

 _The sensation of pain on this level._

 _A feeling she hadn't experienced in a long while._

 _It hurt so much, an agonizing feeling that coursed through her entire body._

 _The voice of her opponent, a strange effigy borne through means she couldn't understand, mocked her with clear malice and hatred._ _ **"This could have been avoided if you had simply just surrendered like I asked."**_ _The tone dimmed, his face revealing itself once again from the shroud of corrupted data, the jagged cracked lines, Julius Harwey. He mocked her, but the words he spoke were the truth, even if she didn't want to admit it._

 _She fought for a fake family, she had stolen the life belonging to the original Hakuno Zaizen, this body now merely a vessel for Hakuno Kishinami to act like she was Hakuno Zaizen. An unfair cruelty placed on the Zaizen family, unaware of the truth that their sibling was dead and all they talked and interacted with was the person that wore her skin._

 _Attempt to even move her fingers hurt with a indescribable pain, this duel could very well be over, unable to act, not even begin her turn to defend herself and Aoi._

 _What a falsehood she had placed on herself. They weren't actually family, with all she had done, when did she deserve to call Aoi her sister?_

Hakuno Kishinami took a deep breath and released, calming herself down, her heart continued to beat at a quickened pace, causing her to repeat the exercise a few more times until it settled. Her head raised, eyes looking towards the windows at the sunlight that gleamed through.

That was not part of the Dream Cycle from her Servants, that had to be related to Hakuno Zaizen, or as she'd known, a counterpart Hakuno Kishinami. The memories were a jumbled mess to go through, especially considering they were not her own, to begin with. It reminded the Digital Human about the different timelines of other Hakuno, but far more intense and clear than the ones gathered accidentally in her time within the Moon Cell Core.

However, it did serve to distract her mind and bring her out of her trance from the ordeal related to her counterpart's Servant.

So, Hakuno Zaizen had taken the body of another Hakuno to fulfill her wish to be in the Real World? Or rather some different unknown wish? She didn't know what to make of that fact, and was that Julius she faced? The Harwey Assassin had been killed in the Holy Grail War, and whatever form he took facing against her counterpart was dreadfully more terrifying than when he took the form of a cyberghost during the final week.

Somehow, Hakuno Kishinami didn't feel all too wary of Hakuno Zaizen, even with the fact of how she survived. No, there was something else that happened after that memory that changed something, as the Zaizen sisters were still close even after that fiasco.

The magus girl wanted to talk with Archer, even with him not being her Servant, they were still the same Heroic Spirit. It would like if she summoned Archer again, he wouldn't have the same memories, but it's still Archer.

As she was thinking, the doorway slid open into her room, revealing a positive brimming Aoi Zaizen who carried with her the First-Aid kit. "Hey, Haku-chan," She said with a slight smile. "No time to spend brooding around, your onee-san is here to make it all better!"

Hakuno Kishinami hadn't been brooding since entering, she just needed time to think and recollect herself. She knew, logically, that they didn't have the benefit to relax too long with Wendigomon out there somewhere, not to mention the other factions in the Digital World.

"I'm fine, Aoi," Hakuno replied, taking note that behind the girl was her older counterpart, Hakuno Zaizen.

"Well, that's good to hear!" Aoi exclaimed as she entered the room and sat right in front of the magus, "But first, those bandages! I don't want you going around without any proper care!" She examined Kishinami's brown uniform for a moment, "Also a change of clothes, you should be wearing something more casual and loose."

"I like my uniform," The Digital Human replied, it was filled with memories and she has grown quite attached to it.

In the background, Hakuno Zaizen blinked in surprise.

"Is brown your favorite color or something?" Aoi questioned with an arched eyebrow.

"Yes," She replied immediately, "What's wrong with brown?

"Huh," Aoi set the kit down. "Well, there's another difference! Didn't expect my imouto to like such a dull color."

"It's not dull," Hakuno said. "It's practical."

"Which is dull," Aoi stated with a slight grin while she opened the First-Aid kit.

Oh, Aoi is teasing her.

"Very funny," Hakuno Kishinami replied sarcastically.

"Oh don't be like that," The acting older sister replied. "Brown is fine, it's the color of our hair, but I have to say? You're completely oversaturated with it, yet somehow you're making it work so well that it just makes you so adorable."

Hakuno Zaizen tilted her head, "Huh… I never noticed it before… It does look cute like that…"

The Digital Human felt her face warm up, pink adorning her cheeks. Did her otherworldly sister and counterpart just compliment her as cute and adorable?

Thank goodness both Caster and Saber were in the other room still. She would never hear the end of it.

"Can you?" Aoi pointed towards Hakuno Kishinami's injury.

"Sure," Hakuno repositioned herself onto sitting upon her folded knees, allowing her to easily discard her overlay then take off the black wool shirt underneath, revealing the discolored bandaged wrapped around her abdomen, allowing Aoi to access it.

Her hands seemed to instinctively cover her chest, even with a garment still in place, it felt like something she should still do.

Hakuno Zaizen winced in sympathy and decided to sit down next to her. "Are…" Her voice was extraordinarily similar to Hakuno Kishinami's own but lacked a certain pitch that came with the magus' younger age. She appeared a little hesitant but mustered up the courage to speak. "Does it hurt? The injury, I mean."

"A bit," She replied. "But it has mostly healed by now. How about you? Did you face trouble in the Digital World?"

The older counterpart shifted, "Yeah, met a… Digimon? A monster by the name of Daemon, but managed to escape from him with the help of a boy named Ken Ichijouji," She responded. "He guided us to here."

Ken Ichijouji helped her? That was a surprise, he hadn't interacted or communicated since his time as the Digimon Emperor?

"Did Saber do anything?" Hakuno questioned, the Servant might have misunderstood the situation if Hakuno Zaizen had been walking alongside Ken. "She's a bit- Ow!" The cried out in pain.

"Sorry," Aoi apologized as she finished discarding the used bandages, revealing the bristling color of the healing wound and the small data particles that floated absently from it, fading away nearly as quickly as they formed.

Hakuno Zaizen bit her lip as she looked right at the injury, not at the skin, but at the fragments of data that were identical to those used in the Moon Cell. "You're really like that, aren't you?" The words were carefully chosen, and Hakuno Kishinami realized that perhaps Aoi was ignorant of her sister's history.

The magus girl nodded, "Yes, I'm a Digital Human," The hidden meaning, the disguised sentences, weren't lost on either of them.

" _You're really still the same as before, aren't you?"_

" _Yes, I'm still a human made of data. I know you aren't anymore."_

"How?" Hakuno Zaizen continued.

"I wanted to experience the Real World," She replied. "But turns out it isn't so simple, but I'm working on it."

" _How did you manage to escape the Moon Cell?"_

" _I made a wish to experience the Real World, the Moon Cell transported me to the Digital World. Only managed to get to the Real World a few times."_

"That's why I say onii-nee-san I help," Aoi spoke, not understanding the invisible messages. "I'm sure he can figure out something. Haku-chan already went outside cyberspace a few times," She explained again, having done so earlier before.

"I see," Hakuno Zaizen said. "Yeah, I understand wanting to get out there."

" _I made a wish to leave the Moon Cell as well."_

The Digital Human nodded, then pulled out her Portable Terminal, causing her counterpart to arch an eyebrow at it, her facial expression one of recognition towards the device. Hakuno Kishinami changed subjects from the earlier conversation, "I'm sure the Digidestined can help you return to your Real World, they know the Digital World better than me."

"Your friends, Haku-chan?" Aoi smiled as she finished wrapping the bandages, grabbing the wool shirt on the floor and handing it over to the girl.

"Y-yes…" It was an unfamiliar term to use still, but she recognized the friendship between herself and the Digidestined. "Thanks," She said as she grabbed hold of the shirt and slipped it back on, before taking and buttoning up her uniform overlay once again.

"No problem, I'm sure you'll recover quickly," Aoi responded.

She nodded, but then checked below her neck collar, and realized something was missing. Hakuno Kishinami hastily glanced around for it, but couldn't spot the object.

"What's the matter?" Aoi questioned.

"Where's my Crest?" Hakuno asked.

The Zaizen sisters looked around for anything, and it was Hakuno Zaizen that picked up a locket with a golden rectangle item within, tied into a necklace with a string, she examined it for a moment in her hand, the edge of the locket brushed against the ring placed on her finger. She then handed it over to the younger Hakuno, curiosity satisfied.

"This it…?" She questioned.

"That's my Crest, yes," Hakuno Kishinami replied in a thankful tone and gently took hold of it, untying the string then fastening it loosely around her neck to wear it. Once finished, the magus girl up, which Aoi did as well soon after. Hakuno said, "I apologize for my earlier outburst."

"No, it's fine," Aoi said. "From what I could understand, you had someone just like Haku-nee's partner right?"

She nodded, "Yes, he's…" The girl looked down. "Disappeared."

"Sorry," Aoi replied.

The Digital Human shook her head, "Nothing to apologize for, let's move on." She stated, glancing at her counterpart, Hakuno Zaizen. "You and Aoi need help getting back to your Real World, right?"

"Yes," Hakuno Zaizen answered. "But I'm clueless where to begin, and it appears you have problems of your own… I don't mean to make more trouble for you." It would be unfair to lay her own issues on the younger Hakuno Kishinami.

"It's fine, all I was planning to do later today was watch the second Jurassic Park that Mimi gave me," Hakuno Kishinami replied.

"Huh… Jurassic Park…?" Hakuno Zaizen questioned in confusion.

"You haven't seen that?!" Aoi said in shock. "It's one of the classics!" She exclaimed before pulling out a bottle, uncapping and dropping a single tiny pill in her other open palm, before sealing it again. She revealed a glass of lukewarm tea and handed it both to the young Kishinami. "Take it, It'll numb the pain."

"I know, thanks," Hakuno Kishinami replied and popped the pill in her mouth before swallowing it down with the delicious tea, likely Caster's work.

In which the Servant opened the door to her room just now. "Master!" The foxy Shrine Priestess exclaimed happily. "The Digidestined are here! Though they're an itzy bit confused about secondary bowman!"

The Zaizen counterpart blinked, "Secondary…?" She questioned.

"Don't insult," Hakuno Kishinami spoke towards her Servant.

"Ah, sorry!" Caster apologized. "I didn't mean any offense to my husband's older siblings!"

Aoi grinned, "That's alright! We accept your apology!" She exclaimed. "Now, the Digidestined?" She said while glancing back at the younger Hakuno. "Your friends, right?"

"Yes," She replied. "They can get around quickly," The magus girl walked off to leave the room, taking only a moment to pause and look back, "Come, they're very kind if a bit childish at times."

"Oh, they're probably all around your age," Aoi assumed. "That makes sense."

Hakuno Zaizen nodded as she, Aoi, Caster, and the Servant's Master all left to enter the living room.

* * *

When Aoi Zaizen learned that her cute little sister, Haku-chan, had friends, she'd been ecstatic. It was nice to know that the counterpart version of her sibling had people to fall back on even with the absence of family. She assumed that perhaps Hakuno Kishinami had about one or two friends, excluding her own partners, but what Aoi hasn't expected was that Haku-chan had more friends than even she had!

There was a whole group of them, around six individuals had appeared at Haku-chan's home, each having unique and diverse appearances and personalities, and all of them having a Digimon partner. Of course, all but one of them were younger than Haku-chan, the exception to the rule being Koushiro Izumi, who was Haku-nee and Aoi's age.

They had gotten through introductions, and like Haku-chan had stated prior, the Digidestined had good characters and wanted to aid them in returning to their version of the Real World. A fact that Aoi Zaizen still had a little difficulty in grasping that she'd been dragged into a parallel universe.

But, considering the madness that had been occurring in LINK VRAINS, perhaps this was but the tip of the iceberg? Should she start looking at the differences that might become similarities in the future? Like, would Haku-chan get her own version of Saber and Caster in the future?

Well, that might be a bit far-fetched, it likely wouldn't occur. Haku-chan was apparently the odd one in this universe, if her being a Digital Human wasn't a clue enough, having more than one partner that weren't even digimon showed a clear indication.

To begin with, the people her imouto made friends with, there was…

Hikari 'Kari' Yagami and her partner, Gatomon.

Yolei Inoue with Hawkmon.

Daisuke 'Davis' Motiyama kicking alongside Veemon.

Takeru 'T.K' Takaishi and Patamon.

Iori 'Cody' Hida guarded by Armadillomon.

And finally, Koushiro 'Izzy' Izumi and his partner, Tentomon.

Quite a few names to remember, but for Haku-chan, she would know then all, or at the very least, the nicknames.

Everyone, except Caster, was seated at the neatly placed tea table, they ran out of pillows, and had to substitute with getting the Servants' own out of their rooms so everyone would be comfortable.

Koushiro had just finished explaining the situation concerning Wendigomon, "That's what we have on our end," He turned to look at Haku-nee, "I'll have to ask Gennai about how to return you and Aoi, he has experience in some objects related to worldly travel."

The Fox Servant decided to show herself, skipping into the room merrily with a sizable plate that she placed down on the table, onto the dishware were a number of snacks, Haku-chan munched on the selection of honey roasted nuts.

"You look like an adorable squirrel when eating those," Aoi commented.

Yolei looked up at Aoi, "So I'm not the only one who thinks that!" She exclaimed.

"You too!?" Hikari said in shock.

Saber stood up from the nearby recliner, her red dress swayed from the sudden motion, "No, do not make such crude comparisons!" She retorted. "Praetor is so much appealing more than a menial creature like that!"

"You're saying that because…" Haku-chan trailed off, not finishing the sentence, but she was implying something.

"Umu! I'm sure my rival may do such," Saber nodded, speaking about somebody unknown to Aoi, "But she could never match you and I! Our act goes beyond such simplistic shows, my beauty and art alone are leaps ahead!"

Aoi examined Saber's dress wear, finally taking note of its design and how it matched on Saber, "You are quite beautiful."

"My thanks, sibling of the second Praetor!" Saber replied. "I see you are admiring me! Yes! Do it more often and perhaps I shall reward your heart!"

"Reward my heart?" Aoi questioned, but she assumed it was perhaps something akin to Saber's personality, which unlike her own acting self in her Blue Angel Avatar, seemed more genuine.

Huh, she was a little interested now.

"Interested?" Saber smiled, taking note of the others now paying attention to the conversation thanks to her bombastic persona quirks.

Aoi Zaizen looked downward at the bottom of Saber's dress, then was made aware of its see-through area that revealed snow white undergarments underneath, she motioned to inform the woman, but the roman already sat directly in front of her

"Did you know that- Mmpfh!" Aoi's words were cut off.

Saber had pressed her lips against Aoi's own in a kiss that lasted only two seconds before cutting it short.

The short-statured woman nodded, her fingers pressing against her bottom lips as if she savored the experience. "Umu, feel rewarded, you are someone that is interesting to me like Praetor."

Even if Aoi could hear Saber, the teenager's brain currently was undergoing a complete reboot. Her face a shade of crimson and her eyes wide open in utter shock and surprise.

"... Huh…?" Aoi could only say in response.

"Please do not kiss Aoi-nee," Haku-nee spoke.

"I have merely filled her curiosity in me!" Saber explained it as if it were perfectly of the norm.

Haku-chan sighed, "I'm sorry for her actions."

"It is nothing for you to apologize for, Praetor!" Saber exclaimed. "Such a sign of intimacy expresses the feeling one has for a member of one's family! At least, that's what I heard the common folk speak of."

Yolei stuttered, "I- I don't think it meant lip to lip contact."

"Truly?" Saber questioned. "Well, no matter, I do not regret my action. Umu, she has been rewarded with the highest of praises!"

"I can't get married anymore," Aoi said.

"Caster…" Hakuno Kishinami said while looking at the Servant.

"I wouldn't do such a thing!" Caster immediately replied. "My whole body and soul belongs to only you, my dear husband! Even a sibling or identical twin would never sway me from only doing such actions with you!"

"You say it like its something wrong," Saber commented.

"Of course it is!" Caster retorted with an accusing finger pointed at the Servant of the Sword. "Such intimacy is to be saved only for the one I love!"

"I love everyone as everyone loves me!" Saber replied. "Umu, as I said to Praetor before, if I am not enough for her then I wholeheartedly approve of developing a harem, which may as well include you, fox."

"H-h-harem route!?" Caster sputtered out in shock.

Hakuno Zaizen looked sympathetically towards Hakuno Kishinami.

The latter sighed, then spoke, "We're getting off topic, Izzy," The Digital Human caught Koushiro's attention. "I'm surprised you arrived early, did you need something as well?"

"Oh, yes, I almost forgot!" Koushiro exclaimed. "I need you to do a Code Cast, Mimi is alone in America and she might be targeted by Wendigomon."

Hakuno Kishinami tilted her head, her facial expression that of confusion, but its intensity brought Aoi out of her stupor, momentarily forgetting about the earlier incident.

"Haku-chan, s-stop with that expression!" Aoi pleaded, her heart could barely take it. She looked towards the Digidestined, "How do you deal with that without reacting?"

Daisuke shrugged, "We got used to it, but trust me when I say, that's hardly the most intense emotion she's displayed, rather mellow actually," He replied.

Cody nodded in agreement, "But she's gotten much better lately."

Haku-nee smiled, "That's good," She said.

Aoi Zaizen knew that Haku-nee appreciated the compliment towards her younger counterpart, their newly bonded little sister, Haku-chan. It became more apparent that her being a Digital Human implied much than being made of data, but rather, also inexperienced in human emotions.

Which explained why Haku-chan was so intense, she just didn't know how to express herself, that's all!

"You want to try my Code Cast with the Digi-Port in order to access quick travel around Earth," Hakuno Kishinami answered.

Koushiro blinked, he clearly didn't expect her to understand his reasoning so quickly. "That's entirely correct? Well, as I said, Mimi might need our help."

"Lack of information," She continued. "Wendigomon might assault her on her lonesome, and without a Digimon partner, she'd be kidnapped easily." The brown-headed girl spoke.

"Right," Koushiro nodded to that, his surprise having disappeared. "Do you think it can work?" He asked.

"I don't know," Haku-chan replied, glancing at her now raised hand. "It would be either Hack or Connect Jump."

Haku-nee blinked, "Connect… Jump…?" She said in confusion.

Caster patted Haku-nee's back gently, "Don't worry about it, little sister, it's still mysterious ability that hasn't much time to reveal its true potential just yet!"

"... Huh?"

"Caster," Haku-chan said again.

"It's a light joke, Master!" The Shrine Priestess responded.

Takeru spoke, "Still worth a shot."

"Alright," Haku-chan nodded.

Koushiro revealed a laptop, which was rather old technology, but Aoi didn't comment on that, knowing it was a different world and all. He opened it up, revealing a blue screensaver, and out from it popped up a user interface detailing what Aoi believed what this Digi-Port that had been mentioned by Hakuno Kishinami.

The girl raised her arm towards it, "Hack, or Connect Jump first?"

"Try the first, it ended well last time when you needed to return to the Digital World," Koushiro said.

"No harm done," Yolei commented.

Daisuke stood up brimming with optimism, "You can't figure things out without a risk now and then!"

Haku-nee had brought in Archer into the living room, the partner of her sister studied Haku-chan, Saber, and Caster with a critical eye, before setting it just on the younger Kishinami. He nodded for some unknown reason as if either accepting or acknowledging her.

"Code Cast: Hack."

A bright flash emitted from the laptop, yellow electrical sparks dotting its metallic exterior, and Aoi heard a sharp breath from Koushiro, probably hesitant in his decision now. The rather fantastical display didn't last long, however, and it disappeared away without any noticeable effect.

"D-did that do anything?" Aoi's partner, Lunamon, questioned.

Koushiro glanced at the screen, then sighed, "Nothing, alright, time for the larger risk."

"But I don't know how Connect Jump would react," Hakuno Kishinami said. "It might just be me that is taken."

"Taken!?" Aoi shouted in alarm. "Does it drag you somewhere, Haku-chan?" She asked with concern.

"A bit? I can still return well enough," She answered.

"Here I go," Hakuno Kishinami raised her arm again.

"Wait," Haku-nee said as she raised a hand and touched her counterpart's arm. "I don't-"

But she was too late.

"Code Cast: Connect Jump."

 **["Unregistered Regalia Access Detected."]**

"Huh?" Aoi said everyone's thoughts.

 **["Temporary User Access Granted."]**

"Eh!?"

 **["Providing Spiritron Stabilization."]**

"What's happening-?"

 **["Connect Jumping…"]**

In that instant, all Aoi saw was a blinding light and the sensation of her body being rush through a tunnel.

As she and everyone else, human, Digimon, and Servant, vanished from the Digital World.


	3. Chapter 3

**Boyzilla Author's Note:** Sorry for the long delay! THIS HAS CHANGED INTO A 5-PART STORY! The reasoning behind this is that there's so much going on for this movie and for what we have planned that trying to fuse to into only 3 parts would rush it too much! The final battle alone would be its own chapter!

Enjoy the collab everyone! Know not all stories are spoken in a single path, as a tree that branches mighty and far can at one point touch the branch of another equally great tree.

* * *

 _Digital/VRAINS_

 _Part 3 of 5_

 _The sensation of being submerged, sinking deeper into a void, feeling every body part fade away into numbness. These were feelings she experienced only once before, in the vast, indescribable core of the Moon Cell. How long had it been since Hakuno Kishinami felt this before arriving in the Digital World? To what end does this dread serve to remind her of her cruel origins?_

 _Even the dream of flames, ash, and soot was preferable to that of the Moon Cell's Core._

"This is interesting, you are quite a different Hakuno Kishinami from the one I know, yet you are still her at the same time."

 _A familiar masculine voice that served to cause distress in her mind, she knew this individual, the very same person that wished for war on a grand scale throughout the Earth for the sake of humanity, and would have brainwashed her if not for her victory against him. A man, coated in white, glasses adorning the face._

"Your distress is not unexpected, but you are not in your own variant of the Moon Cell. Surprisingly, however, this Moon Cell recognizes your sovereignty, if to a limited degree. Ah, I see, you created a pathway out of your own before it could grant you the Regalia… Fascinating, your counterpart couldn't do the same, so why could you?"

 _She didn't understand, wasn't this Twice H. Pieceman? Why did this man, the very same individual who wanted such destruction, treat her with such an odd response?_

"Mhm, Hakuno, you are not fully here, perhaps it's because of that unique Code Cast that your Mind is passing through for a moment?" _There was a pause as if the deceased man was gathering more information._ "The Moon Cell is looking through your timeline… Now that is interesting… You are of another Timelock. Normally it would be impossible, even for the Moon Cell, to interact with a different Timelock."

 _A different Timelock? She didn't understand._

"Not surprising, there are few who can understand the phenomenon without years of study… Quite a fascinating Timelock… Digimon… Gods… Kaiju… Space… And much more all branching forth from the newly created trunk, the similarities between ours and yours is very much substantial."

 _He was eerily interested in what was supposedly different worlds of her all beginning at a singular point, the very moment she made her additional wish in the Moon Cell Core._

"Now that is worrisome, if you do not solve the meshing of the two Digital Worlds then the physical ones will follow suite, creating a dangerous bridge between our Timelocks. If that occurs, the laws of the worlds will meld, and there will be naught stopping her from capturing either you or our own Hakuno Kishinami, either will do as you are both registered owners of a Regalia… Even if you yourself lack the object."

 _The words he spoke were confusing, a jumbled pile of mess that was had to decipher. But she could understand that there was a devastating event that would transpire if nothing was done with the situation. This contrasted the Twice she knew, and she understood that this must be her counterpart's own Twice H. Pieceman._

 _So, what should she need to do to stop this melding of worlds?_

"The answer lies in what you already hold and with Hakuno Zaizen. Go back to the beginning, destroy to heal, but be wary, the virus mutates as the worlds converge… There will be more than Digimon that resolve this matter-"

"-I look forward to watching, Digital Human."

 _Her vision was encased in light._

* * *

Hakuno Kishinami awoke startled and quickly pat herself top to bottom to make sure her body hadn't vanished into a virtual sea. Once reassured that indeed, she hadn't dispersed into particles of data, the magus girl released a sigh of relief. Her mind traveled back to the blurred imagery that had been Twice and the Moon Cell's Core…

What had that been?

It was hard to recall the details, especially the words that her former enemy had spoken, but it had something to do with-

"Master!" Caster nearly tackled Hakuno in her sitting position. "You're alright! Thank goodness! I was scared that you may not awaken and feared that perhaps you were destabilizing in an unseen way!" The fox girl Servant cried in relief, her voice quivered a bit, recovering from an earlier episode, one that Hakuno knew with the droplets of tears that went down Tamamo's cheeks.

Hakuno patted Caster's head in comfort, she also noticed Yolei and her partner, Hawkmon

"That was quite the scare, Hakuno," Yolei said, pressing a closed hand against her chest. "Made my heart jump in worry."

"It appears she is fine," Hawkmon stated. "We appeared here just half an hour ago, but you wouldn't awaken no matter how much Caster shook you."

So, half an hour had passed since she used Connection Jump?

Hakuno Kishinami glanced around, "Everyone…?'

Nobody else, it was only her, Caster, Yolei, and Hawkmon. Did the Connection Jump only partially work? Was the rest of the Digidestined, Aoi, and her counterpart still at the Private Room back in the Digital World?

Yolei waved her D-Terminal, "Not to worry, I've gotten a few messages, we're all in the Real World, just scattered," She paused, lowering the device. "But, there's no word on where Aoi, Saber, or the other Hakuno is at."

Tamamo jumped up, "Don't worry, Master! As a fox, I have an acute sense of smell!" Caster stated, her fluffy tail swishing side to side, Yolei's eyes looking at it with a curious expression. "I can track down your older sister in no time!"

"C-Caster…" Yolei stuttered, "Um…"

"What is it, my favorite Digidestined?" The Shrine Priestess questioned.

Hakuno arched an eyebrow at the girl's hesitate form, before Yolei asked, "Can I touch your tail?"

The Digital Human blinked at the change of subject.

"Nope!" Caster immediately responded much to Yolei's disappointment. "Cute as you are, only my dear husband can touch my fluffy tail and ears!

"You're very possessive of her, aren't you?" Yolei said.

"Of course, I'm already engaged with her when I lent her that locket!" The Heroic Spirit exclaimed.

Wait… What?

Did Tamamo mean when she placed the Crest of Miracles in the locket and gifted it to her a few days back?

"Caster…" Hakuno trailed off, narrowing her eyes at the Servant for good measure.

"You accepted it so readily," Caster blushed purposely, hands on her cheek as she shook left and right. "Such subconscious passion, I knew you were the right one!"

"Caster!" The magus girl found herself screaming out in some strange emotion that coursed through her. It wasn't really anger or joy, but some mix of the two?

"Aah… Well… Um…" Yolei glanced away for a moment. "We should try to find the others?"

* * *

Aoi Zaizen believed that when she would enter the Real World, Lunamon would return to her Duel Disk, but apparently, that wasn't the case, at least, not in the context of which Real World they had thought. But, even though it had been a minor surprise that the AI-turned-Digimon remained at her side, Aoi couldn't be more grateful at this moment that she'd been wrong.

"I have no idea where we're at… Or even what's reality or virtual anymore at the moment…" Aoi trailed off.

"As your AI guide in everything related to LINK VRAINS, Cyberspace, and Duel Monsters," Lunamon stated. "I can confidently say that I have no idea either."

"We're both on the same boat then, Luna-chan," Aoi replied.

When Aoi and Lunamon had awoken earlier from the transference cause by Haku-chan's Code Cast, they found themselves in some mix match landscape that was part reality, part cyberspace, and all levels of freaky that LINK VRAINS couldn't hold a candle to in comparison. The Blue Angel Idol had seen some weird and disturbing things in her time within LINK VRAINS' cyberspace, and it had been very strange inside the Digital World, but this… This…

Well, if the Digital World could be considered 'natural' then this was its version of 'unnatural'.

They were in a subway, Aoi had some familiarity with subway stations, even as technologically back as this one she could recognize the structural designs indicating the travel method… Well, it wasn't hard to distinguish it with the subway railroad heading from one end of the tunnel to the next. Of course, when each exit of the tunnel was a gaping glowing white hole with ones and zeroes coursing through it, Aoi had doubts, even segments of the floor tiles were blocks of data, and nearly every electronic device had a pitch black outline with crimson cracks.

Hence, why Aoi appreciated having Lunamon by her side, her partner, as the Digidestined insisted on firmly saying that the Digimon was such, and with Haku-chan's agreement, Aoi accepted that Lunamon was no longer some AI. Lunamon was a Digital Monster and had the fighting capabilities and liveliness of one.

Would… Would Lunamon turn back into an AI when they returned to their world?

She didn't know what to think about that, as even though Lunamon had been around only for a short period of time, her partner was far better as a Digimon than an AI.

Lunamon spoke up, "Aoi, we should find a way out of here."

"Of course!" Aoi agreed, standing tall and forcing back her fear with courage, "We need to find Haku-nee and Haku-chan too, I'm sure they need my- our help," She corrected herself to include Luna-chan.

"I don't mind," The bunny data monster replied. "I'm your AI companion, I'm here to serve you!"

Aoi bit her lip, "I- I know," She stuttered for a moment. "But, you're a Digimon now, so... " Her body shifted from anxiousness. "Think you can forget about the whole AI thing right now?"

It wasn't fair.

Not in this world.

Haku-chan was a Digital Human, an _AI_ , Hakuno Kishinami didn't let that restrict her.

Why should Lunamon be restrained as an _AI_ then too?

Not in this world.

 _Not in her world either._

"No problem!" Luna-chan replied, booming with optimism, "Which way?"

Aoi Zaizen stopped walking, there were two pathways to choose, each looking similar to the other. She searched for any indication for each path's destination, but the signs that normally hung from the ceiling had digitally shifted into pitch back blocks.

"Don't suppose you gave a coin to flip?" Aoi lightly joked, if only to ease herself.

"Nope," Lunamon responded. "Though your Duel Disk may have the functionality, since we've arrived in this parallel world it has performed strangely," The digimon explained.

Her partner had made a valid point, her Duel Disk has not been working correctly. She had checked it out when she first arrived in the Digital World, and it seemed most of it had been functioning, but she hadn't the chance to investigate the device fully. Koushiro had taken interest in fiddling with it, but she rejected his offer.

At first glance, the device looked fine, but later when messing with any of the applications made the software never respond, she could thankfully still see her deck and make changes to it, but outside of that, it lost all the other functions.

Perhaps because it couldn't access the servers? Or maybe this world wasn't advanced enough?

Aoi didn't know.

She decided to head down the left path, hoping that the pick would lead them out of here. It remained just as creepily deformed as the previous walkway but held a few additions, such as a segment of the entire wall looking like a see-through window into a digital plane filled with blocks and numbers.

The girl decided wisely not to even touch anything remotely resembling this _Digital Shift_ 's alterations.

"Aoi, look ahead," Luna-chan stated.

"Huh?" Aoi questioned in confusion before narrowing her eyes. She spotted what appeared to be sunlight, "A way out!" She exclaimed happily.

She could get to looking for her sisters after leaving this crazed place.

Huh, sisters, never thought one day it would be plural.

Impatiently, Aoi Zaizen and Lunamon walked in a brisk pace towards the light, with every step it seemed like they would finally leave the confinement of this strange realm. However, the ground suddenly lit up in a bright display and Aoi stopped herself in fear of having triggered some trap.

" **Return… Return…"** The words were new but the voice was the same.

Because the massive ape-like shape of Wendigomon appeared up from the ground with mist steaming outward, causing Aoi and Lunamon to take a few steps back from the burst of air. The cryptid digimon's bulk was barely the size of the hallway, not that it's creepy smile dissuaded any notion of it caring.

Aoi knew she was in a bad situation.

The exit was right there but Wendigomon blocked their path and nothing Aoi could do to eliminate the problem. Her deck was useless, dueling skills moot in the danger of reality, and she knew Luna-chan wasn't powerful enough to protect her.

This wasn't Aoi's world, there were no rules to protect her from harm. The laws had changed the moment she arrived, life points didn't exist, only her own lifeblood determined her condition, and losing too much of that meant death.

 _Death_.

Her fist clenched.

Aoi Zaizen won't accept her demise.

To do so would be to abandon her brother and sisters.

She refused to ever do that.

" **Return!"** Wendigomon roared with pained rage and charged forward towards Aoi and Lunamon, its long arms and bulky form smashing, crushing, and decimating parts of the underground subway that did little to even slow the monster.

"Luna-chan!" Aoi shouted for her partner.

An orb of pressurized water formed in front of Lunamon's antenna, "Tear Shot!" Luna-chan exclaimed the ability and the orb shot outbound towards their opponent.

It splashed against Wendigomon with little effect outside of perhaps slowing it ever so slightly. Aoi sprinted, grabbed Lunamon into her arms, then began running in the opposite direction. With no room to maneuver around the monster's stature, this was all they could do.

"Aoi, let me go! I can't protect you like this!" Luna-chan argued.

"You can't do anything right now against it! We're retreating to come up with a plan!" Aoi replied between breaths.

"That won't work! Wendigomon is catching up- Watch out!"

A large hand enveloped around Aoi, causing Lunamon to fall from her grasp while her hands reached in vain to pull herself free from Wendigomon's grip. She was being held like a child would hold a doll, any exertion of force by the digimon would crush her. It was by some miracle that it was restraining back its strength, as it bought her time, but also a reminder that Wendigomon had been kidnapping Digidestined.

Where would it take her? Would she be one of many to vanish under the guise of being kidnapped?

"Luna… Luna-chan, help me," Aoi's mind began to panic she had been in tight situations, but never with the risk of her life.

 _I don't want to… No, I will not go without a fight!_

"Aoi!"

"Luna!"

Then bright light eclipsed out of her Duel Disk, blinding Aoi and Wendigomon as a feminine voice echoed from its unseen speakers.

" _DIGIVOLUTION."_

" _Lunamon digivolve to…!"_

The tiny bunny-like digimon was encased in egg-shaped prism, Lunamon's skin was shredded off and grid displays replaced the exterior, as soon as all of the digimon's skin had been removed more formed as Lunamon's size increased dramatically, data forming into new appendages and designs, bodily alterations creating a more bipedal reminiscent than the previous form, then with an explosive display, the egg burst open and out came the digimon's evolved state.

" _Lekismon!"_

The newly evolved Lekismon sprinted out of the light towards Wendigomon jumped into the air and soared at the monster holding Aoi Zaizen with breakneck speeds with its leg outstretched in a showcase of movie-like martial arts.

"Moon Night Kick!" Lekismon shouted as its foot collided with Wendigomon's head with tremendous force of impact that it sounded like a shockwave. The attacks forced Aoi to be dropped from the creature's grip and Lekismon caught Aoi in freefall.

"Are you alright Aoi-chan?" Lekismon's voice sounded deeper, like having grown up to a stage where the voice cracked.

"Luna-chan…?" Aoi's expression betrayed her utter surprise at the digimon's radical change in appearance and mannerism.

"I'm Lekismon now,"

" **Rwaaaa! Cable Crusher!"** Wendigomon bent backward and revealed a number of embedded guns under its fur, which began lighting with energy before launching a volley of cannon fire.

Lekismon avoided the incoming attacks with unprecedented skill, smoke and fire blasted apart the subway but the digimon and human remained untouched by the insane digimon's barrage. Aoi felt the air rush past her face and her heartbeats at a quicked paced from each near miss that narrowly hit them, however, Lekismon was quick on its feet.

"Lekis-chan, use your speed to get past that ugly reject!" Aoi shouted over the loud noises of the Cable Crusher ability.

"Piece of cake!"

A bright crystalline shape took forward on Lekismon's back as he charged at Wendigomon with Aoi in tow. The girl held her breath in anxious anticipation as the climax approached closer and closer. The cryptid digimon swung its long-elated arms at them, Lekismon stopped abruptly and flipped, making Aoi almost lose her lunch, but allowing the formed icicle arrow to launch into the air which Lekismon then violently kicked at Wendigomon.

"Tear Arrow!" Aoi's partner shouted and the arrow of ice collided and shattered with the force of a shrapnel grenade. This ability distracted Wendigomon enough for "Lekismon to carry Aoi over the creature's shoulder and land on the other side, the exit now clearly in view, the digimon did not hesitate to sprint out of there.

" **Soon… Back, soon..."** Were the last words Aoi heard before the blinding light of the sun forced her eyes to close…

And suddenly they were out in the open in the city, an actual Real World city without the digital shifting machinimas.

Lekismon placed Aoi Zaizen back on her feet, the girl patting down her clothes and checking to make sure everything is where it's supposed to be. Once content in the fact she hadn't lost anything, Aoi faced her Digimon partner.

"That was great!" She exclaimed with a beaming grin. "Oh my goodness, Lekis-chan, you match my Avatar's clothing to the mark!" Aoi circled around Lekismon, checking out her digivolved companion's stunning new form. "Now, are you stuck like this though?"

"I don't know, this is the first time I digivolved…" Lekis-chan answered. "It's a strange sensation too, but not uncomfortable, rather empowering in fact."

"Then we should find Haku-chan and her friends," Aoi answered, stopping her movements in front of Lekismon. "In the meantime, hide from… Uh…"

Taking a moment to glance around, the surrounding city urban were empty. There were no other people in sight, and given the advertisements she could spot, they were in a English-speaking country.

The United States, perhaps?

"Aoi!" A voice in Japanese called out, Aoi turned to face it.

"Yolei!" She remembered the glasses-wearing girl's name, her appearance had been more notable among the Digidestined because of that feature. A pink-puff ball of feathers was held in her arms, is that her partner, did the digital monster de-digivolve?

"You're safe," Yolei said in relief. "Is- Did your partner digivolve?"

Aoi smiled, "We came across Wendigomon inside the subway, Luna-chan digivolved to save me."

"I'm Lekismon," Her partner greeted.

"It didn't hurt you, did it?" Yolei asked in concern.

"I'm fine, if a bit wore out," Aoi replied. "Do you know how to change Lekis-chan back to Luna-chan?"

"Uhh," Yolei looked to her tiny partner for aid.

The voice that came from the adorable pink feather ball was absolutely cute and pitched, "Just think about sending the energy away, Lekismon!"

At that moment a yellow light glow enveloped Lekismon and the partner's form changed back to Lunamon.

"That was easy!" Luna-chan exclaimed. "But, wow, I'm tired!"

"That happens with first-time digivolutions," Yolei explained. "It becomes easier each time after."

"Yolei," Aoi said. "Where Haku-nee and Haku-chan?"

She then noticed Haku-chan along with Caster appear just around the corner that Yolei had come from as well. The familiar sight of her sister, if a younger counterpart, calmed Aoi Zaizen.

"Aoi," Haku-chan spoke.

"You're alright…" Aoi trailed off in relief. She recollected herself and said, "Haku-chan, what happened earlier? Wasn't your special skill supposed to bring all of us?"

"Sorry," Haku-chan apologized. "Connect Jump is unpredictable, the others should be around somewhere."

Caster clapped her hands, "I'm positive they're alright! My Master wouldn't let her friends come to harm!"

Aoi would believe Caster's words, "We should get to looking for the others then."

Yolei said, "I have messages from them, Davis is with Hakuno- Um, the other Hakuno," Her expression contorted in confusion. "You know what I mean; with them is also Saber and Izzy."

"And the others?" Haku-chan questioned.

She looked towards Hakuno Kishinami, "Cody, T.K, and Archer are in another group…"

"Wait," Aoi interrupted. "We're missing one I think?"

Caster nodded, her ears twitching, "Yep! That Kari girl is on her lonesome!"

* * *

The bipedal shape of a lizard with red-coated armor around his appendages jumped and shouted, "Fire Rocket!"

In a brilliant display, three firebolts shot forth from the digimon's, Flamedramon, gauntlets. They soared through the air and impacted with minor explosive force against the large hulking form of Wendigomon, who merely swayed his arms about and dispersed the flames. The massive mutant digimon bent back and revealed multiple metallic cannons in his abdomen.

" **Cable Crusher!"**

"Veil of Petals!"

A beautiful woman in red charged forth and swung with all her might, slashing at their opponent's body and disrupting his attack enough for the following shot to aim wildly, missing Flamedramon entirely.

Hakuno Zaizen knew her as Saber, the Servant of her counterpart in this world, but now the Heroic Spirit protecting her from their enemy.

"Good work you two!" Daisuke Motomiya encouraged.

His enthusiasm was quite infectious, she could help but feel a bit excited despite the precarious situation. She noted the large bipedal shape of an insectoid digital monster charge at Wendigomon, but the partner of Koushiro, Kabuterimon, was grabbed by his horn and swung with tremendous strength.

"Watch out!" Koushiro shouted.

It was too late as Kabuterimon slammed into Flamedramon, sending the two digimon crashing into a nearby building.

"Oh, dude, you're really heavy…" Flamedramon groaned.

"Sorry…" Kabuterimon apologized.

" **Go back!"** Wendigomon roared and with a burst of speed-charged at the three humans in his vicinity.

Hakuno Zaizen knew she hadn't the physical capability to avoid the massive creature, he would reach them in seconds' time.

"You shall not place a finger upon my Preator!" Saber suddenly appeared in front of them and with a great heave, swung her blade with intense power that splintered apart the ground and crushed Wendigomon's arm with a sickening crunch noise, a display of data splurged out like blood, but it showed a sickly purple miasma.

"Poison!?" Saber did not retreat but rather raised her weapon and instantaneously the blade lit aflame, beautifully radiating with bright orange. "Then I shall purge it with the flames of Rome!"

"Saber, right side!" Hakuno shouted in alarm.

The Servant didn't hesitate in heading her warning, even if Saber logically knew Hakuno Zaizen to not be her actual Master, it was still the person she knew, the same individual that fought by her side in the Moon Holy Grail War. Her blade swooshed through the air, blazing forth brilliant fire in its wake and struck down a malformed effigy of purple miasma that melted away into ash at the blow.

Davis turned to Koushiro, "Izzy, what are those?"

"I don't know… But the shape they take in not too dissimilar to the rookie stage of the digimon we faced years ago, Diaboromon."

"Diaboromon?" She inquired.

"It was a digimon infected by a virus that began devouring the entirety of the world's networks, even accessing military ones, we stopped it short of it using nuclear armaments."

That was… That was insanely dangerous and powerful.

Hakuno Zaizen knew they were at a disadvantage, it would have been fine if she knew Saber's combat style and abilities, but the Roman Heroic Spirit wasn't her Servant. She was Hakuno Kishinami's Servant, her younger counterpart in this world. Not only that, but it had been a long time since she'd been in combat situations like this, unbound by any laws, a free-for-all deathmatch.

While she had enjoyed the peace and relaxing days, it had dulled her combat sense.

Sure, it was coming back to her, but it wasn't something rectified in just two short battles.

"Flamedramon, come back!" Daisuke shouted towards his digimon partner.

Having recovered from the earlier counter, Flamedramon retreated back to Daisuke's side. His gaze remained focused on Wendigomon but spoke, "You got a plan?"

"Yeah, not really my style most times, but we're not in advantage here," He replied, bringing out a blue device that Hakuno Zaizen identified as those D-3 Digivices, something that was explained to her back in the Digital World.

The reptilian digital monster's body was encased completely in yellow light before shrinking and morphing back into its prior stage, Veemon.

Hakuno wondered why Daisuke would have his partner take on a weaker stage, but then his digivice screen glowed a green hue, similar to Koushiro's earlier device. Did that mean…?

 _Evolution_

" _Veemon shinka…!"_

That same light now enveloped Veemon and his body shifted and grew in size larger than Flamedramon before. Some three to four meters in height, with fine-toned muscles and a pair of bat-like wings. It was an adult stage of Veemon, that was how one would describe it.

" _Exveemon!"_

She should have expected this, that her counterpart's friends were not limited to singular evolutionary changes. If they were fighting so many enemies in the past to have combat experience in real-time battle, then they would need different methods to counter opponents.

Also, do all digimon grow in size like this? How big could they get?

"Alright!" Exveemon roared, even his voice had changed!

"Now then-" Daisuke started.

"What's the master plan?!" His partner questioned excitedly.

"Better be a good one!" Koushiro shouted.

"We retreat to fight another day!" Daisuke answered.

Hakuno blinked, "... Eh?" She hadn't expected that.

"Huh…?" Koushiro was also dumbfounded, though likely more in line to how it contrasted Daisuke's approach.

"Did I hear right?" Exveemon inquired.

"Look! We don't know much and we're separated!" Daisuke reasoned. "So taking a page out of Hakuno's book and let's fly!"

"She flies?" Hakuno Zaizen said.

"Umu, in a certain way she does~" Saber commented, having now disengaged.

"Not literally like that!" Daisuke replied.

"But you are correct, let's make haste in our retreat!" Saber said. "Praetor," She didn't even correct herself. "Get on the dragon's back."

Easier said than done! That's a bipedal dragon! What is she supposed to do? Sit on Exveemon's shoulder like some action protagonist from one of Aoi-nee's collection?

Oh, Daisuke is actually doing that and doesn't seem off balanced…

Just throw logic out the window, Hakuno, different world has different rules.

"Go," Koushiro said. "Kabuterimon and I will hold them off, you regroup with the others and tell them about Wendigomon's additional abilities."

Daisuke gritted his teeth at that, "Are you kidding me? We can't just leave you behind!"

" **Raaaaaagh!"** Wendigomon's howl echoed loudly, its intensity forced the humans in the group to cover their ears for the moment it occurred.

"Look! He's not eliminating us older kids! He's tracking down those with digivices and kidnapping! Hakuno, catch!" He threw a USB device at her.

Hakuno Zaizen caught it and immediately pocketed the storage device safely so it wouldn't be loose. She wanted to voice her objection, this wasn't right, it was sacrificial.

She hated sacrifice.

But Koushiro had a point, he had more knowledge about what was going on. If Wendigomon wasn't _killing_ but instead kidnapping, it lifted a lot of worries. There wasn't time to really think about it, Hakuno Zaizen didn't even have a choice to make. Saber didn't give her one, although she viewed her in a similar degree as Hakuno Kishinami, at the moment, Saber wasn't Hakuno Zaizen's contracted Servant.

This loophole let her act in counteraction to what Hakuno Zaizen would otherwise want. Such as grabbed hold of her and jumping on Exveenom, who lifted into the air just in time to avoid Wendigomon's spawned creature from attacking.

"Don't let it hold you," Daisuke suddenly spoke.

"Huh?" Hakuno replied confused.

"I've seen that look before, on that same face, weeks ago. She let it hold her down too. Don't worry about it!" He said with a grin on his face. "Everything is going to be alright! Izzy always has a plan. So cheer up and let's find the others. I'm sure Cody and Kishinami will think something up!"

"She's changed, hasn't she?" She commented about her younger counterpart.

"Well, she sure smiles a lot more than she used too!" Daisuke laughed. "You wouldn't believe how hard it was to read her at first!"

While Hakuno Zaizen was still a bit upset, Daisuke's optimistic behavior lightened her up. Hakuno Kishinami really did have some supportive friends.

* * *

Hakuno Kishinami at times wished for better friends because this had quickly turned into ridiculousness. In some miraculous coincidence, they had found Mimi while trying to head to Kari's location according to a message about her whereabout signaled by then D-3'a capabilities to detect other digivices within range. Instead, Hakuno, Aoi, and Yolei now found themselves within a clothing store dragged here by the upbeat, overly optimistic pink-hair dyed DigiDestined.

If Saber were here, it would have been worse.

Not that Caster was making this any quicker.

They were trying to get her to try on different outfits! Caster even managed to dress in a red, white, and blue swimsuit, lacking anything other than a bra-top and underwear.

The magus girl had to look away to avoid feeling incredibly fuzzy.

Weren't they supposed to be meeting up all again with the other Digidestined? How come Mimi decided to launder?

To make matters worse, Aoi now seemed… Adamant… In seeing her 'younger sister' in different attires.

Hakuno Kishinami wasn't a dress-up doll!

"She sometimes looks like a very cute doll when she has that monotone face going on!" Mimi clapped her hands as she said.

"I-I'm not!" Hakuno retorted.

"I have to agree!" Yolei exclaimed. "She can pull off that face very well."

"My Master is not a doll!" Caster argued, much to Hakuno Kishinami's relief at her Servant supported her- "She's a little princess!"

Why…?

She looked to Aoi Zaizen for aid, but it seemed her surrogate older sibling was hard pressed between teasing the younger Hakuno or helping her escape the madness of the other three.

"Just a little bit," Aoi relented to the dark side of the friends.

"W-wait," Hakuno Kishinami took a step back as the four girls stepped towards her, all holding different clothing in their hands while looking at the Digital Human with those unsettling gazes. "Um… Can't we… Do this later…?"

She's getting flashbacks to that outfit store in the Real World. But unlike then, she was not bound to some wheelchair.

"Come on, Haku-chan," Aoi said. "It's my duty to tease my little sister!"

"But what about Kari?!" Hakuno replied.

"She can handle herself fine," Mimi said.

Caster grabbed her Master's arm, "Now off to the changing room! I'll have you strip multiple times!" She exclaimed and proceeded to forcefully pull Hakuno Kishinami towards the small closet-like area, followed by Mimi, Yolei, and Aoi carrying bundles of uniforms, shirts, skirts, and dresses.

Hakuno Kishinami wished she was with the boys instead, a girl's day out was terrifying.

Meanwhile, Hikari Kamiya met with a young boy named Willis. Hakuno Zaizen retreated with Daisuke and Saber to meet up with Cody, Takeru, and Archer. And the ticking clock continued its countdown...


End file.
